The Legend of Dark Link
by gwendolyndark
Summary: Just that. It's an original story in my own creation of Hyrule, mostly based off TP. NO YAOI. DarkLxOC Read if you want to know what it's about. T to be safe. xoxo GwenDark oh, ps: I don't own LoZ. Nintendo does.
1. Prologue

The Legend of Dark Link

By Melanie Hannon

Part one: Gwendolyn

Prologue

I **have lived in** his shadow for years. Those who know us have always compared us. He has always been "the Good One", yet I have been told that although I am not as good as he, I am not the opposite. I am his Shadow. I am a part of him despite not having his character. This has always made me wonder how I would turn out. I see the good he does, but do not share his happiness. I have been intrigued with his lifestyle and yet I am equally impressed with the power of Princess Zelda. I have gone back and forth with my two options for years, watching Link get all the glory, and also watching Zelda conquer lands, controlling countless people, including my 'dear' other half. Every time she makes him go on another quest for her, she becomes the 'damsel in distress'. It only aids her to become more powerful. This is where my story begins, in the choosing of either Link, good; or Zelda, evil.

_Clip, clop, clip, clop_. The sound of my dark mare's hooves on the cobblestone path made everyone's heads turn towards me and my confidant, Link.

My horse whinnied uncomfortably as Link halted in front of us. I stopped the dark female, and her hooves clattered to a silent halt. Link dismounted and lead his buckskin coloured horse over to a merchants stall. I rolled my eyes, although dismounted also and lead my horse over to Epona and Link.

I saw Link pawing through a box of odds and ends. He looked up at me and said, "I noticed these here and saw this." Holding a small plushy that looked like a Keese, Link smiled mischievously at me.

"Urg. Why must you do this _every time_ we come to the marketplace?" I sighed and turn away from him, crossing my arms, leaning against the support of the tent's shelter.

"What am I going to do with you? I swear, sometimes I believe you are more on Her side than mine." Link accentuated 'her', not willing to say the name. Especially not in public. Link believed that Princess Zelda, our own Princess, was in cahoots with the evil that tried to conquer Hyrule countless times, my 'soul brother's' most hated enemy. And everyone else's. My dear Link thought that Zelda was only staging her... kidnappings... I suppose you could call them that, well, Link thought that they were all just a plot to overthrow, _herself_, and join the evil in ruling the world.

"Shadow?" I heard Link calling my name, but for some reason it sounded far away. "Shadow." The voice that time was louder, more urgent.

I jerked awake, sensing that I was horizontal. I opened my eyes and looked around. Seeing that I _was_ lying down, I jumped up into a standing position. I realised that this was a bad idea, immediately getting light headed. Grasping onto Link's shoulder, I looked at him.

"Are you quite alright?" He asked, concerned.

I shook my head a little to clear it and said, "Yes, I'm fine." Letting go of Link's shoulder, I murmured, "I'm leaving you, brother."

I turned away and started walking up to the castle, but Link stopped me with a hand on my arm.

"Shadow, what are you trying to say?" Link forced me to turn to him, a puzzled look crossing his angled features.

I shrugged his hand off and muttered, "I'm saying I'm joining Zelda. Goodbye." and with that, I turned and walked off, feeling fairly good about myself. I came to know later it wasn't what Zelda told me it would be.

I was only ten years old.


	2. Chapter 1

One

_A__**rg, where'd that **__damn Link go?_ I grit my teeth hard as I glance around Hyrule field. My brown and red eyes scan the horizon, towards the mountains, the Kokiri Forest, the castle town, and my attention is drawn to something flittering in the Lost Woods.

I softly whistle for my horse to start walking, but quickly kick her into a trot. The Lost Woods loom before us and I dismount the dark mare. The reigns are easy to tighten around a low hanging branch at the edge of the forest; it wouldn't do for her to go wandering into the woods and losing her way like so many a man and beast. Grass and low growing plants surround the trunk, plenty of grazing for the horse. _You see, Link? I am capable of being considerate!_

I walk warily to the entrance, keeping in mind that the Lost Woods is not named that for just any reason. Many a man has died here, not knowing which turn to take, which path is real, and which leads to certain demise. Most forget, or never know, that the only way through successfully is to follow the music that drifts on the wind; Saria's song, the song of my other half's, my "soul brother's" best friend. I perk up my ears to listen, scanning through sense of sound and sight, just in time to see another flicker of movement.

Startlingly swift, I whip my head around to investigate the movement, only to have it be a leaf. But a leaf is enough; I turn myself toward that direction and walk into the dark tree lined path thinking, _I am coming, Link_.

My original, the one from whose soul I was born, is naïve enough to leave a trail I can easily follow. Or perhaps he wishes for me to find him, which would be not unlike him. As I take turn after turn I find I have come to a dead end with only a small rabbit.

Cursing to myself at my stupidity, I kick at the ground, hitting a tree trunk and the rabbit runs off deeper into the forest. Immediately I regret this, having not eaten since dawn. Perhaps today is not a day of good choices. The path behind me has vanished, as it does in the Lost Woods, and I perk my ears once more to listen for the sound of Saria's song. A faint tune comes from my left, but I ignore it; the Lost Woods plays tricks, and the song from that direction is incorrect. Its pitch is flat, the instrument is wrong; Saria's song is played on the ocarina, not a flute, there's a difference.

I turn my head away from the sound, straining to find even the faintest indication of instrumentation. Only one other direction holds any promise of the way out; south. I continue at a trot, turning east once, then back south, following the strange melody. The wind picks up and carries the sound with it, making it impossible to hear, but my mare is already in sight. Her dark coat gleams a healthy shine and she stands stalk still as I approach. I've had enough time wasted in this forest, and I lithely sling myself into the saddle. I pull at the reigns so that I might continue on my way. Shit. I dismount and untie the horse.

Growling to myself, I swing my leg over the mare's back and pull her head around roughly. I kick the she horse into a canter and think again, _Where'd that damn Link go?_ This time I will not be distracted by a mere animal. I have a vow to complete, a vow I made to myself the day that Link defeated me in the Water Temple, in the Hall of Mirrored Radiance. I grimace at the thought, slowing the horse to a walk.

She whickers in gratitude and I am suddenly aware that I do not know where I am. I draw my bow and cock an arrow, guiding the horse with my knees; thank the gods that she is a trained war horse. I survey the landscape around us. We had been heading east, toward the Kokiri Forest, and we have stopped only a few paces out of the tree line. I guide my steed into the woods without a sound, stopping her amid the closely woven branches of a patch of brambles.

A small doe rests on the other side of the thicket, grazing on small twigs and berries off a bush. Dismounting, I land on dry leaves and they crinkle under my boots. The doe's ears perk and it turns wide eyes toward my hiding place. My horse whickers softly, to the deer I suppose, and my prey takes a step back. It twists its head around at the sound of a twig snapped by its own hoof, a strangely loud crack for such a small twig. I can't afford to lose another kill, not when I need to eat, and I loose the arrow through and opening between the branches, the quiet twinge of the bow string and the whizz of the arrow drawing the doe's attention back to my cover too late. The slim arrow embeds itself up to the shaft in the doe's chest, just inches from its heart. I grimace and curse to myself, glad for the meat but put out with my horrible luck; usually I am a great shot, even better than my original, I can hit a rabbit between the eyes from more than two hundred paces out.

The doe is on the ground, whimpering disgustingly weak, and I retrieve the arrow. The doe screams in pain. Even I don't like a sound like that, and I draw one of my many daggers, plunging it into the deer and wiping it clean on the doe's fur once I'm sure it is drained of life. I unsheathe one of my sharper daggers and skin the animal swiftly and masterfully. I'll sell it later, once I've cleansed it of blood, so I store it away in my saddle bag. I carve slabs of meat from the carcass and build up a small fire with branches from the brambles. The acrid smoke stings my nose, but I bear it, skewering the meat to roast. I have little to no time with the sun setting; the wolves will be out soon.

I cook the meat just until it is no longer raw, but is rare and cleansed of most deadly disease, and eat it as swiftly as I am able. So as not to be followed for the meat of my horse, I leave the rest for the soon coming wolves.

I ride out, searching for shelter for a few hours rest at most.

Sure I may be searching for Link, but my main focus right now is Barron. All I know is that he's been terrorising small towns as I once did, although he's not working for Zelda.

Soon I come to a town, a town that I've heard Barron is coming to soon, but I do not enter, instead settling myself in a cave not far outside the burg. I'll stay here for now, being that I will be gone before anyone even knows I was here.


	3. Chapter 2

Two

"D**on't move!" someone **whispers in my ear, a sharp blade at my throat. My eyes snap open and I search for my attacker in the dim dawn light. As my eyes adjust I attempt to sit up, only to be pushed back down.

"I said not to move! Or do you _want_ this dagger in your throat?" I lie perfectly still and focus on the voice of the person. It's seemingly female, yet with a deep tinge as an undertone. Definitely not my other half's voice.

I lick my lips and say in a voice hoarse from sleep, "Who are you?"

"Someone with a knife who is in a better position than yourself to be making inquiries; someone who is not to be meddled with. So just submit and be silent while I figure out why you are in my cave and what to do with you."

One of my eyebrows arch and I laugh without humor, but with plenty of malice. "Your cave, hmm… well, I see no sign that indicates it belongs to you. Besides, I am just stopping for the night; I'm not here long."

The girl's eyes light up suddenly and she says, "Do I know you? What is your name?" The dagger suddenly increases in pressure along my neck, breaking the skin along its clean, straight edge; I feel the slow, warm trickle of blood along my neck.

I grit my teeth at the humiliation of a woman threatening me and grunt, "Link."

The dagger's pressure decreases and I am able to breathe once more.

"No," the person says thoughtfully. "You are only part of him. The part doomed to fight, and lose, to the original Link. You are a shadow; Dark Link."

"Call me what you will, whore, but I do not call myself by that title, and I am not a shadow. I am a real being, not some shadow of the 'great and radiant Link'; I am no one's shadow, I am myself, feared and not afraid to destroy a life, especially not afraid to end yours. I am part of Link, as you've already admitted, so I have as much right as he does to call myself Link."

My attacker has a catch in her breath before she steadies once more, giving me enough leeway to grab the knife and wrench it out of her hand. She rocks back on her heels, preparing for an attack, but I sit up and put pressure on my wound so as to slow the slight bleeding. "And so you know who I am, but I know nothing of you. Who are you, what do you want with little ol' Dark Link?" I widen my eyes in mock meekness. But I refuse to lower my guard, for who so ever lowers his guard for even the shortest time is as good as dead.

"I am called Gwendolyn." 'Gwendolyn' holds out her hand and I just stare at it. I am not one for contact with strange people, especially strange girls. She retracts her hand and I sit up more, leaning my back against the cool cavern wall.

"So what is a weak little girl doing out here all by herself? Did you get scared and run away from the rabbit out there? I think it's gone now," I mock.

She is offended, as I intended her to be. "A girl can wander just as a boy can! And it's none of your business!"

I laugh at this, for most people know enough of me to tell me something I want to know. "Do you not know who I am? You will tell me, girl." I stop laughing and narrow my eyes, knowing they are glowing a dull red by now.

Gwendolyn's eyes slit as well. "Oh, I'm so frightened. Do you think I'm going to give in to you just because you slit your eyes at me? I'm not one of your pawns. You can't force me to do anything. You think you're so high and mighty. Well you're not. And I won't bow down to you and give into your every demand. You can't push me around!"

By each rising of her voice, my eyes get wider and redder. No one but the most idiotic of fools dares contradict me. I growl deep in my diaphragm. "Remember that I'm the one with the blade now, wretch! You will answer me when I speak to you!" I spit.

Gwendolyn shrinks against the opposite wall, realising her mistake. Her dark red hair, cropped like that of a boy, is matted with dirt, as the rest of her person is covered in the same soil. Her frame is tall, although still a few inches shorter than me, her light green tunic hanging loosely on her too-thin form; her blue eyes strangely bright yet dulled a bit by lack of sleep and many a shed tear.

"That is better, but watch your step. I will leave within the hour, but that does not concern you. What are you doing here?"

"I ran away." she mumbles this, hardly louder than a quiet whisper.

Strangely, this outrages me. "You did _what_? What the hell do you think you were _doing?"_ Even though I have just met this strange girl, I am angry that anyone would run away; no one can have that bad of a home life.

"Why are you so concerned? You were just threatening me!" her voice gets softer and I stand. "It is just as well. You might've killed me anyways. Better that than go back there."

Tears form in Gwendolyn's eyes and she brushes them away.

I whirl back around, pointing the knife in her direction. "Never, _never_ wish death upon yourself! It is not the alterna-tive!" I don't know why I am trying to help this girl, but it just seems right. I mean, usually I will just leave them to fend for themselves. But this one has struck a form of pity in my heart. Emphasis on 'form'.

"For this problem it is." She pulls the collar of her tunic down to make her shoulder and neck visible.

My eyes soften ever so slightly as they take in the speckles of bruises covering her, all in various stages of healing. "What are you wearing under this?" I demand.

She says softly, "Tights and camisole."

"Remove this tunic." I grow angrier and angrier by the second. This is not my week for surprises. She slides the tunic over her head gingerly and I see that bruises riddle her body. My fists clench and I say, softly and deadly, "Who did this to you?"

Gwendolyn shakes her head, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. She slides down the cave wall into a sitting position, her knees drawn up to her chest.

My voices softens as I say, "Tell me." I kneel down next to her and examine the wounds. Some are broken and dried blood covers them.

"My father." she whispers, so softly I barely hear.

I stand up and pace the length of the cave. "How long?" I know she will understand my question.

"As long as I can remember."

"Has he done anything else to you?" The origin of this question is personal, but it needs to be addressed.

She nods and angry, red, glaring light comes back into my eyes. I refuse to be emotionally compromised by the strife of a stranger, but this has to be taken care of. "Any father who does this to his own child deserves nothing but death. You're probably scared out of your wits."

By now all the misfortunate girl can do is nod. I stride to her side once more and crouch on my toes beside her. I reach my hand up to her face, but she shrinks away from my touch.

"I won't hurt you. I promise."

"What is a promise to me? My father," she spits the word, "promised to me that that time would be the last. But it never was, and you are no better; Dark Link doesn't uphold promises."

I struggle to keep my voice calm. "Don't compare my promises to that of a rapist. And being named by the title of Dark Link doesn't make my promises and vows worthless." I reach up again and this time Gwendolyn allows me to touch her. I wipe the tears from her cheeks and say, "I don't know anything about fathers, but I'm sure that they aren't supposed to treat their children like this... Where is your father?"

"Why? You aren't going to do anything about it."

Her statement puts ideas into my head, ideas I do not wish at this moment. But my other half can wait for me. "Yes, I am. I am going to kill the son of a bitch who did this to you." Barron will have to wait.

Gwendolyn's eyes become wide again. "No! He told me to never tell anyone. If he knew, he would punish me." She shudders at the thought of the punishment and I can only assume that it would be more bruises; or worse. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her close to me. _Wow._ I think. _I'm going soft over a girl._ I shrug at this and a noise comes from the cave mouth. My head whips around, expecting to see Link smirking at me, but instead it is a strange man. I roll my eyes. _Great, another stranger._

The man balls his hands into fists and yells, "What are you doing to my daughter? Get away from her you rapist!"

Gwendolyn stiffens next to me and I believe it is safe to assume that this is her father. I stand to face the man and growl back, "I am no rapist, you pedophile!"

The man seems appalled and says, "You think I would...?" I can tell he is lying and my theory is confirmed when he yells at his daughter, "Slut! Get over here! When we get back home, you are to be punished. You know what that means." He smirks and Gwendolyn stands up hurriedly.

"No father. I won't allow you to do this," she gestures to her body, "to me anymore!"

The man's voice becomes dangerous. "You will get over here this instant or it will be much, much worse."

Tears form in Gwendolyn's eyes again and she walks slowly and submissively over to her father. When I get angry my eyes flash red. Right now I am sure they are a deep blood colour. "No. She's not going anywhere with the likes of you. I will see that you burn in Hell for what you did to this poor woman." I step forward to intercept Gwendolyn, but the man does also. He reaches her first and throws her behind him. He then comes forward enough to face me off.

"_What_ did you say to me?"

"I said that she's not going anywhere with you. Oh and I also said you were damned to Hell." My cocky voice is back.

The man whirls around to his daughter. "You told someone? You know what happens when you tell someone?"

Gwendolyn's eyes get wide and she shrinks back. "That's right." the man continues, "Right as soon as we get back to the house."

There is still some fight left in the girl, "I will kill myself before you can do that to me again!"

I smile, but it is not long lasting, for the man brings back his leg to kick Gwendolyn. My sword is out of its sheathe and at his throat before he can so much as bring his foot back to the ground. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Oh, so now Shadow Link is defending the weak. I thought that was just your brother." Gwendolyn's father laughs, "So you've gone soft then. Only a couple months ago you'd be doing this!"

"First of all, he's not my brother. He's half of the same soul. Second of all, I will never go soft. And third and lastly of all, I would _never_ on my _life_ rape an innocent child."

Gwendolyn's father pulls out a blacksmiths hammer, trying to knock the sword out of my hand and only succeeding and knocking it away from his throat, jumping out of my way and spinning to face me. I laugh to myself at his naïveté and face him off. We circle each other in the glorious dance of swordplay, with me lunging once for his right arm, the one holding the hammer. My sword sings as I cut him, deeply. He screams and drops the hammer and I put my sword tip against the man's neck and force him to the ground.

"You yield?" I ask him, putting every ounce of malice and mocking into my voice possible. The man nods mutely and I smirk. It's all part of the game. "I would banish you, but you'd just come back. And I would kill you, but I want to see you suffer. Starve to death maybe." There's an evil glint in my eyes as I turn my head to his daughter. "There is a length of rope in my saddle bag, retrieve it, would you?"

Gwendolyn's eyes grow wide but she nods, scrambling up from the ground and running outside the cave to where my horse is tethered. She returns in a matter of seconds. "Here…" she manages, and shoves the thick rope into my waiting palm. The rough length is sturdy and I tie one end around his throat, almost like a noose. I pull it tight enough that he won't be able to breathe well but he won't suffocate for at least a few more days. I wrap the rest of the rope around his torso and legs, pinning him into stillness, and tie him to a boulder at the back wall of the cavern. Tired of being crouched so long, I stand and turn away, walking to the mouth of the cave. I gaze out into the upcoming dawn and Gwendolyn joins me. Even though I have only met her this morn, I feel attached and don't want to leave her. Even though I know I have to.


	4. Chapter 3

Three

"I **want to go** with you." Gwendolyn surprises me with this statement. I was afraid she would.

I shake my head. "No. I can't burden myself with a broken girl." I have to be cruel to make her stay. To make sure she doesn't emotionally compromise my mission.

The effect is immediate. "I can fight! I could've killed you when I woke you up! I have the right! And, I am indebted to you. You saved my life. If I had to go back there I would've killed myself."

"I don't blame you. But you can't come with me. You'll only slow me down."

Gwendolyn shakes her head. "I'm stronger than you think. I can keep up. All I need to do is go back to the house and get some things, including my horse."

Now it's my turn to shake my head. "I said no. That's final."

But Gwendolyn is stubborn. "Dark."

So am I. "Gwendolyn." This is the first time I have said her name. It startles me as well as her; it's strange coming from my mouth. Gwendolyn turns to face me.

"Gwendolyn," I say again. "I can't take you with me. I haven't the time or patience to deal with you! What help would you be? And how do I know you aren't working for anyone? I've just met you for Gods' sakes!"

She raises an eyebrow. "I would not be working for anyone considering the state I'm in. I wouldn't work for anyone who couldn't take care of me. All of your enemies, I'm guessing, are vicious enough to do this to me also."

I run my hand over my face. This girl is going to drive me crazy! "Fine. I can see you're not going to let me leave without you. You'd probably just follow me anyways. Go to your house and meet me back here."

Judging by the look on her face, she doesn't want to go alone. So I intervene. "No. Scratch that. You're coming with me. Follow." I gather my possessions and walk in the direction of my horse.

"What's her name?" Gwendolyn awes at my black mare.

"She has none." I say simply.

"A mare this beautiful has to have a name!" she retorts.

"You're going to be trouble aren't you? Name her, why don't you?" I'm already regretting my decision to bring Gwendolyn along. But I can't take it back.

"Hmm... How about Arai? It matches a black mare, right?"

I ponder this name. "Alright. Arai it is."

I put my hands on Gwendolyn's hips to boost her into the saddle, when I see fear in her eyes. I release quickly and realise it will be a while before she can trust anyone again. Let alone me. I instead lace my fingers together to make a step and Gwendolyn steps into it. She's light and so I boost her up easily. I mount behind her and reach around her to get the reins. She stiffens and I soothe her by saying, "I won't hurt you. And neither will he, never again."

"I know." Gwendolyn whispers.

I still wonder at why I am allowing this girl to come with me; and also at why I have suddenly gone soft. I also ponder what the father said to me. _'Only a couple months ago you'd be doing this!'_ I would've been, but not to that extent. I would never rape a girl, but I have beaten them to get information. Back when I was still working for Zelda. She didn't have to work hard to harden me to the extent of beating innocent girls. I would have done it on her order. But I broke off from her and now I am on my own side. Link is on the side of good; Zelda, Ganondorf, and Barron on the side of evil; me on my own, neither good nor ill, 'Dark Link' has a side all to himself.

The newly named Arai whickers and I realise I have tightened my grip on her reins, pulling her head back a bit. I loosen my death hold and take a deep breath, patting the horse's shoulder soothingly.

Gwendolyn smiles a bit and says, "So you _do_ have a compassionate side."

I feign indignation. "Of course I do! If I had no compassion, I wouldn't be human, and all those people I've beaten for information would be dead."

This is the wrong thing to say to a girl who _has_ been beaten her whole life. Gwendolyn stiffens and says, "So my father was right when he said only a couple months ago you'd be doing that. Beating me."

I start, and say, "No. I'd never. I swore off beating and killing innocent people when I refused one of the princess's orders. She had me nearly killed by Ganondorf to teach me a lesson. I escaped after that and I've been on my own for a while, searching out my other half. I still have the scars. As you will, also, I'm betting. And when we get to your house, I'm taking a better look at them."

Gwendolyn stiffly nods and whispers, "I believe you. About everything. And I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm not."

"About being beaten? You're truly not sorry?"

"No. It gave me courage to fight Zelda and escape her grasp." And with this I fall silent.

We ride in silence for a while until Gwendolyn mutters, "Turn here."

I do, and after crossing a bridge, we come to a small house near a river. It seems cozy, but I know it's not. I dismount and help Gwendolyn out of the saddle. She hits the ground and crumples.

"You're more injured than you let on aren't you?" Lifting her is the easy part, walking with her and opening the door is the hard part. Somehow I manage it, and in the center of the room is a settee. I lay her down and carefully remove her tunic once more. I hate to do so, knowing the horrible things her father did to her in this house, but it's necessary.

Underneath her clothing there is not one inch of healed skin except for her hands and face. It is all colored yellow, purple, green, and black from bruising. I grimace and start toward the door, looking for water and a rag to clean her off the best I can.

"No." Gwendolyn mutters, only half conscious. "Don't leave me."

I turn back and kneel down next to her. "I'm coming back. Don't worry. I need to clean you off." I stand up and start to turn again. But Gwendolyn grabs the hem of my tunic, holding me back.

She seems close to tears. I don't blame her. "No."

I kneel again and touch her forehead, willing her to close her eyes. Her forehead is blazing with fever. "Sleep, Gwendolyn. I will be back in less than a minute."

Gwendolyn's eyes flutter shut and her hand relaxes its hold on my tunic. I hate leaving, but I do so quickly. A rag hangs off of the side of an empty wash basin not far from the room. I wander outside in search of water to fill the basin, surprised to find a figure come out of the shadows. I fear it is Gwendolyn's father and I tense for a fight, but it is Link. The other half of the same soul. He's been following me!

"Shadow, I have watched you since the Lost Woods. I witnessed what you have done for that girl in there, and I am surprised that you were that compassionate." he speaks softly and dangerously.

"What?" I become sarcastic. "Only _Link_ can be anything but evil to strangers now? I'm not allowed to save a girl's life?"

Link seems unsettled; I must have ruffled his feathers with my hostility, poor helpless angel that he is. "That's not what I was saying. I merely meant I was surprised and impressed by your sudden sympathy. And to bring her with you? Surely you must have ulterior motives."

"And surely you have not come here just to mock me."

"No, I have not. I have come to say that since you have your hands full, I am going to let you alone for a while. So do not try to find me." And with that Link is gone from my sight.

"You are not my chief concern, idiot, Barron is." I grumble to myself and continue my search for clean water. I figure that upstream of the river I'll find a better source, rather than the polluted water close to the town where all dump their waste. It doesn't take long to reach a small, clear pool that is oddly calm compared to the river the runs through it. I unclasp my flask from the leather strap around my neck and kneel beside the pool to fill it. As the water flows into the container, the pool begins to glow with a dull light, getting brighter and brighter as my flask becomes fuller with the mysterious liquid. This strange phenomenon suddenly halts as I cap the flask and stand. Suddenly, the light explodes into fragments of color and a musical voice chimes with words I don't know. My hand automatically comes up to cover my eyes, protecting them from the harsh light. I can tell that the voice did not change languages, but I somehow understand the words. "You have shown great compassion this day, young one, half soul."

My eyes are wide as I move my hand from my face to the pommel of my sword. "Who are you? Show yourself!"

The sound of tiny crystals vibrating, as if someone were running a wet finger over the lip of a pure crystal glass, as the voice chuckles quietly. "Do not threaten with blades, young one, for they will not help you here. I mean you no harm, sweet child." Slowly through the glare of light and shroud of mist a woman with golden skin riddled with tattoos of blue steps into sight. Her feet, bare, create slow ripples on the surface of the pool, her scantily clad figure perfectly formed. The dark, golden curls that frame her angular face, shining rays of light that reflect off from the pool. Her eyes are a deep blue flecked with silvery-grey, and her full lips are curved up in a kind smile. Tendrils of soft white cloth float around her, brushing and blending with the gracefully arching wings that protrude between her shoulder blades. One dainty, gold hand lifts as she beckons me to come to her and take it. I hesitate, stricken by such perfection that cannot be described adequately. "Do not be afraid, son of shadows, I will not hurt you. There is darkness in your heart, yes, but it is brightening."

"What do you mean? Who are you?" I take an involuntary step toward her, onto the pool, and expect myself to fall through the water, but I am suddenly standing in front of her, barely brushing the surface.

The woman smiles again. "Do not take offence, half soul; I am of the Fair Folk, a Great Fairy of much power, and I wish no ill fortune upon you.

"I have seen your compassion this day, and I wish to reward you. Give me the flask of water that you took from my pool." Without much choice, I lift the flask to her. The golden fingers undo the cap and bring the flask to her face.

The Great Fairy closes her eyes, long lashes brushing high cheek bones, and slowly upends the bottle back into the pool. I try to protest but she holds up her free hand to stop me. Like honey, the water pours out, but does not reach the pool; it stays suspended in the air between the Fairy and myself. She utters something I don't understand and a small droplet of light drips next to the water, then into the water. The water suddenly breaks into fragments, just like the light had only minutes before, and flies back into the flask, which the Great Fairy presses into my hands once more. "It is blessed; take my gift and be thoughtful how you use it." This tall woman suddenly is just that; a woman, no wings, who is extraordinarily beautiful. She leans forward and kisses me lightly on the forehead, then the cheek. "Go, young one, be blessed and go."

I fall off of the water, back onto dry land, just as another flash of blinding light occurs and the Great Fairy is gone, the pool is once more just an uncommonly calm pool. I've had enough surprises for one day, and my heart is still racing from the encounter, so I run back to the house, tripping on all sorts of rocks and clods of dirt and other such debris.


	5. Chapter 4

Four

G**wendolyn is still **asleep, to my relief, and I bring the wash basin over to the side of the settee. The blessed water still has a faint glow to it as I pour most of it in the basin, saving only about two drinks full in the flask. I take the clean cloth and begin to wash the wounds that cover her. Each time the cloth becomes unusable, I exit the house to rinse it in the river; it wouldn't do to use the blessed water to rinse an unclean rag. She looks much better as the water works on her skin, but I see little difference in the bruises; the blessed water isn't working, it isn't healing the girl.

As I work, I think. Privately I am relieved to have Link let me be for a while. I do have my hands full with this girl, but I do not know what to do now.

I return to Gwendolyn's side and sit on a stool I have discovered in a side room. The now clean rag I soak in the water and lay across her burning forehead. I guess the most I can do now is wait, wait and hope she gets better. I have done all I can to fix her up, bandaging the worst of the cuts and cleaning the rest of her. If she were awake, she would be mortified; mortified by the fact that I had to strip her down to the bare. I return to the side room, baring a chair of its folded quilt, and place it over the sleeping girl.

"Dark..." Someone is calling my name?

"Dark... Wake up!" Oh! I know that voice! Gwendolyn.

I wrench my eyes open and glance around before looking into the eyes in front of me. I blink and sit up straight; I had been crouched over in my stool, head resting on my folded arms, leaning against the settee, asleep.

"Dark, why am I bare?" Gwendolyn blushes and takes the cloth from her forehead.

I avoid her gaze and reach out for an excuse not to answer yet by touching her forehead. Determining that it is of normal temperature once more, I lean back on the stool and look into her face. "I beg your pardon, but I had no choice. I had to strip you to clean and bandage your wounds. You passed out from fever."

Gwendolyn looks mortified, as I had expected. "Did you...?"

I give her my most appalled look and cross my arms over my chest. Without meaning to, I speak sharply with indignation. "No! I would never! Especially not to someone who's already been!"

Gwendolyn looks slightly skeptical but relaxes just slightly.

"I'm just relieved you're alive." I assure her.

She nods and says, "Alright. I believe you. I'm just... Scared okay?"

"I... understand." _Unfortunately_. I add in my mind. I press a pair of clean clothes into her hands, standing to leave so she can get dressed, but she grabs my hand.

"Stay. You've already seen me. And I don't want to be alone." Gwendolyn silently begs with her eyes as well.

I sigh, and hesitantly stay. I compromise and turn around as she dresses to keep everyone modest.

The girl seems needy, although she's been beaten and raped since childhood. But she also seems to be... flirting? No. No one flirts with Dark Link. I'm not likable. And no one confides in me that they're scared. I am the one who makes that fear. Now it seems as if I'm taking away fear instead.

I'm not likable.

"Yes you are! You saved my life." Gwendolyn comes up behind me and touches my arm.

I start, not realising I spoke aloud. I shake my head and turn to face her.

"Forgive me. I don't mean to burden you with all of this. I don't even know what I'm going to do now." I look her in the eye.

"What do you mean? Aren't you searching for your other half? Aren't you searching for Link?" Gwendolyn cocks her head to the side.

I do not know how to explain to her, so I say bluntly, "No. He came while you were asleep. He told me I had my hands full and that he's leaving me alone for a while, to not try and find him. Now that I can't, I feel as if part of me is missing. I feel as if my goal is gone." My head and shoulders droop.

Gwendolyn comes to my rescue. "No. Your goal isn't gone; it's just going away for a while. By the by, what _are_ we going to do?"

"I don't know." I shrug. "I guess I could take you while I try and find Barron…"

"We have to do _something_! I can't just lay here and wait to rot!" Gwendolyn waves her arms around, exasperated. "Wait, did you say something about Barron? He's in the town near here, putting up quite a fuss I've heard."

I pin her arms at her sides and pick her up. She stiffens but I still don't put her down. I carry her over to the settee and plop her down on it. She struggles, and I hold her down. Her eyes go wide, seemingly assuming I'm going to do what her father did to her. I grab the blanket and wrap her up in it.

"That may be, but you are not going anywhere, Gwendolyn. Not until those bruises look better."

"But that'll take _weeks_! I can't stay here all alone while you do stuff!" She still hasn't gotten over the shock of thinking I was going to rape her.

I lower my voice and say, "Do you really think I'd save you just to rape you? That's just cruel. I would never do that. Even me. Even Dark Link." Still leaning over her, I hear footsteps and the opening of a door. I turn my head to the sound, but I don't dare leave Gwendolyn alone, even though someone has entered the house.

"Gwenie, I'm back!" I can hear the smile in their voice.

A startled Gwendolyn looks up at me. "Gwenie?" I mouth, trying to smother laughter.

"Shut up!" she whispers furiously, her brows knitting together. A man enters the room and sees me leaning over Gwendolyn, holding her down.

"Get off of her, man whore!" the man exclaims, furious. I relax my grip on Gwendolyn and straighten out of my crouch.

"What did you call me?" I let my eyes glow a dull red as I begin to get angry.

The strange man is oddly unaffected as far as I can tell. "I called you a man whore, rapist."

I narrow my eyes and growl, "Only one person deserves to be called a rapist. And that wou—"

Gwendolyn clears her throat and I stop talking. "Sorry." I mouth.

"Yeah, that's ri-" the man stops speaking as he sees my face.

"Would you like to take that back?" I calm myself a little and sit back down on the stool, one hand on my sword hilt, a silent but deadly warning that I will kill if my hand is forced.

"Gwen, you have a lot of explaining to do." The man has yet another name for Gwendolyn?

"And you've a lot of different names for Gwendolyn." I retort, speaking on Gwendolyn's behalf.

She doesn't like it. "Dark," she whispers, "Enough! You'll only anger him."

I sigh and hold out my hand, standing up once again. "Dark Link. At your service."

The man is frightened, and he has reason to be. Being in the presence of me only means someone has done something wrong against the princess or the king.

"At _my_ service? Surely you mean at _her_ service. If you have come to beat yet another innocent child to get someone to talk then you'll have to go through me." the strange man says. I've really been one to meet strangers today.

I retract my hand and say, "Maybe not. Well, it is polite to say your name, too. And I believe that Gwendolyn is not a child. And _not _innocent." I make it a point to raise my eyebrows at Gwendolyn, still remembering our meeting.

"Well, I don't think I'm going to, do you? Not so you can take it back to her highness and report that I back spoke you. And Gwen is still a child, as far as I'm concerned." The man shakes his head and moves to stand next to Gwendolyn. Gwendolyn stands and greets the man.

"Cecil. It's good to see you again. How's your mum?" Gwendolyn glances at me while she hugs 'Cecil' and her eyes say: Well? There's your name.

"It's good to see you too, Gwen. I notice your father isn't here to greet me. Why is that? And my mum's fine, thank you. She just got out of bed from having her third. A girl named Aimee. She's adorab-"

Cecil cuts off, noticing the look of anguish on Gwendolyn's face.

Cecil slowly turns towards me. "What did you do to her father? If you hurt him-"

"Oh, yes, Dark Link _has_ to be the one who hurt him. If you really want to know, he-" I cut off, noticing the look on Gwendolyn's face. Oh; he doesn't know, does he?

"Yes?" Cecil crosses his arms. "You were saying?"

"Uhm... Er... Well..." I stutter, not knowing what to say.

"What? Got your tongue? Surely not a pain administrator of the princess is unable to speak!" Cecil starts laughing and it takes all of my self control to not hit him on the spot.

Gwendolyn interferes, putting both of her hands on Cecil's chest, keeping him from speaking. "Enough. Both of you."

Gwendolyn turns to face Cecil. "This man saved my life today. If not for him, I would be dead." She walks over to me and whispers, "Stop and think about what you are saying. He doesn't know."

I whisper furiously back, "How could he not? He seems to be your friend! How could anyone not notice the bruises on your body?"

Cecil seems to have had enough for he grabs at Gwendolyn's tunic, tearing part of it. The bruises show and Cecil's face turns from white to red to purple in anger.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER? YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS IN HELL!" he bellows.

I calmly take a step back as Cecil reaches for Gwendolyn. She returns to him and he demands she take the rest of the tunic off. She does so, shamefully, and Cecil becomes even more outraged.

But Gwendolyn stops him, saying, "No. Dark did not do this to me." then she mutters to herself, "I guess he might as well know." she speaks up and finishes, "My father did."

Gwendolyn untangles herself from Cecil as he stands dumbfounded, and she comes over to me, gripping my hand in fear. I think she's afraid of what Cecil will do, what he will say.

"He did _what?"_ Cecil's voice is soft and very dangerous.

I squeeze Gwendolyn's hand for comfort as she says, "He, er, he raped and beat me."

"Since your mother died?" Cecil wants to know, his voice still soft.

Gwendolyn nods, and I stare down at her. _Your mother died? This girl has had the worst childhood I've ever heard of!_ I think to myself.

"What, hero? Didn't know her mother died?" Cecil sneers.

"Well seeming that I only met her this morn, quite rudely I might add, I wouldn't have had time to discuss her home life."

"But she told _you_, a stranger, about _this_? How'd you come upon _that_ subject?"

"Well, let me think, it was when she was regretting me not killing her, I believe. And then I said that death is never the alternative. And she showed me. So that's the subject matter, what more do you want?"

"One thing more. No, make that two things. One, what were you even doing in a cave? And two, what's your mission if it is not to kill her?"

"I owe you no explanations, you son of a… hold on. I never said I was in a cave. How'd you know I was in a cavern?" I retract my hand from Gwendolyn's grip and walk over to Cecil.

Now it's Cecil's turn to stutter. "Well, I-I just-"

"What? Got your tongue? Who do you _really_ work for?" My voice gets soft, also.

Cecil hangs his head and says, softly enough that only I hear, "Her father. He told me to find out where she was going when she ran away. He never told me, Gwen never told me. If only I knew!"

"For your sake I hope this is the truth." I say, maybe a little too harshly. Ah well. This man still thinks I work for Zelda.

"Well?" Gwendolyn asks, cocking an eyebrow.

I turn back to face her. "Well you have your own personal stalker."

Gwendolyn laughs nervously and my eyes slowly return back to their normal red-brown.

"I think I'd better go out." I state simply and randomly. I turn to face Gwendolyn and say, "You better not do anything rash." and then to Cecil, "Keep an eye on her."

Cecil nods tersly and I turn on my heels and leave the room. As I exit the house and saddle up Arai, Gwendolyn comes rushing out.

She pecks me on the cheek before muttering, "Thank you for saving me." and without waiting for a reply, she goes back into the house.

I smile slightly and shake my head. _Since_ _when did I become so soft?_ I wonder. I mount Arai and kick her into a gallop.


	6. Chapter 5

Five

A**ssuming that Gwendolyn's **house has meat and bread, I take this time alone to wander. I explore the bends in the river, the short patches of woods that are accessible from this side, and small outcroppings of boulders that might hold campsites later on if we come this direction. It seems like a short time has passed but as I look up at the sky, the sun has nearly set, and I turn Arai back toward the house.

A woman is waiting there, pacing hurriedly. When she sees my approach, she walks towards me, and I dismount. The woman talks as I tether Arai to a post outside of the stable block, "As soon as Cecil told us townspeople of your presence, I came here. Barron is terrorising us, please, call off your comrade and have mercy on us."

The woman starts pacing again as I ponder her statement, and I move to stand in front of her, stopping her midstride. I lick my lips unconsciously before speaking, "I am not with Zelda anymore, and therefore Barron is not my 'comrade' as you say. In fact, I've not been with Zelda for," I pause and think for a moment, "three moon cycles."

The woman plows on, "Well in any case, please, help us!"

I shake my head, "I'm sorry, but I can't right now. I will when I can, but not right now, I'm busy."

The woman takes a deep breath and says quietly, "Whenever you can, just soon. Please."

I nod and the woman turns away, walking slowly.

Walking through the front door, I can't help but notice that the house is eerily quiet. Strange how a few hours can change a homey picture into one of insecurity and suspicion. The hut is not so quiet on the inside, though; the sound of soft weeping can be heard even from the threshold. I start, thinking it's Gwendolyn telling Cecil what happened, and yet I hear no speaking. Times like these make me glad I have sensitive hearing, and I start toward the sound, coming from one of the back bedrooms.

I knock on the closed door and the crying gets louder and more hysterical. _What has been going on while I was absent?_ I think, warily opening the door, hoping against hope that what I already know is true hasn't happened. But how would her father get out of the bonds? Gwendolyn is huddled in the bed, clutching the sheets to her.

_Oh dammit_. I think. Someone was here. But where is Cecil? He was supposed to keep an eye on her.

I stride over to Gwendolyn's side, sitting down on the bed next to her. Her ear piercing scream makes me wish I _don't_ have sensitive hearing, and I nearly jump into the wall as I stand as quickly as I can, not wanting to upset her any more than what she already is.

"No. Cecil, go away!" she yells.

"I'm not Cecil, Gwendolyn. But where is he? He's supposed to be watching you." As I say Cecil, Gwendolyn starts, wrenching herself deeper into the sheets.

"Oh no…" This girl has been through so much. Why did her friend have to go and betray her trust, too? I sit back down and gather Gwendolyn to me. I pull the sheet from her face and see the tear stained cheeks and the eyes reddened from crying.

"Why?" she asks. It's a simple question, but I have no answer. All I can do is try comfort her, though how someone with all of this happening to them could be comforted, I have no idea.

I rock her and lean back in the bed, laying my back against the headboard. I bring her with me and she rests her head on my chest. She cries until she falls asleep. Lulled by her breathing, I drift off with her.

"_Stop, Princess. I can't allow you to do anything else to these people." I say._

_Princess Zelda frowns and says, "You will do whatever I ask you to do. Without question."_

_I shake my head and turn to leave. Zelda nods at Ganondorf and he grabs me by the arms. He ties me up and—_

I jerk awake, breathing hard. My eyes snap open and strain as I try to adjust to the darkness. There is a soft body next to me, limp and shaking, so I look down. As I begin to remember, it is Gwendolyn. She's breathing shakily but steadily and I know she's still asleep.

Carefully I stand, knowing without knowing why that it is almost dawn. My tunic is wrinkled from sleep, so I explore the room. This room must be her fathers, for the dressing table holds men's tunics and tights. Oddly, there is a dark one much like my own, and when I put it on, it fits. I continue to ransack the drawers, finding a pair of tights, trousers, and boots that also fit. Silently, I pad into the kitchen block of the cottage, opening and closing cabinets, looking for food as well as trying to forget the dream. Bread, of course, was in the breadbox, slightly hard but not altogether stale. I break off the stale part and put it in my waist pack, taking the main loaf back into the bedroom. Gwendolyn is awake now and sitting up, still clutching the sheet.

"Here," I say, holding out a loaf of bread. She takes it and smiles ever so slightly. I want her to get some more rest, after all that has happened, and so I exit the room and head out to the stable block. Arai whickers a greeting and doesn't seem to care that the bread I feed her is stale. I untie the dark mare and lead her to the entrance of the house, leaving her as I reenter and search for the room that Gwendolyn once lived in. The room that I assume is hers ends up being the third down the hall from her fathers. A light brown tunic and white tights lay across the neat sheets of the bed, short boots rest at the end. Retrieving these and a camisole for Gwendolyn, I return to the room and press the clothes into her now empty hands.

Allowing her complete privacy this time, I sit down on the settee, putting my head in my hands, which rest on my knees, and I think, for the millionth time, _When did I become so soft? I should've just left this girl here._

I start, hearing a door open and close. My head comes up and I see light blue eyes staring back at me.

"Please forgive me for burdening you with all of this, Dark." Gwendolyn is... apologizing?

I shake my head. "Forgive you? No, there's nothing to forgive. I'm the one who left you here alone. But," I stand, "we need to leave. I won't stay in this house any longer." I gather my belongings and Gwendolyn hesitates to do the same, grabbing a small pack to put everything in once she sees I'm going with or without her.

_Do you remember when you used to leave all broken?_ my voice says snidely.

_Yes. And I don't need reminding from you._ I shake my head to clear the voice of my 'conscience'. Walking outside, I strap our belongings to Arai and allow Gwendolyn to get her horse, a pretty bay gelding named Keiken.

I nod, making sure she's ready, and whistle at Arai to start at a trot.

I look back at Gwendolyn and say, "I have to run into the town for a little visit, fix some things up, save some people," I shrug and wait for Gwendolyn's response.

After about five minutes, she slowly replies, "Alright, but why are you all of sudden wanting to help people?"

"I'm not; it's just that it's Barron. I've been searching for him for a while now, and this is my chance." I nod and slow Arai so that I'm riding right next to Gwendolyn.

"Oh, alright." she says, looking ahead.

I sigh, "Good."

A few miles later we come to a town across a bridge, and people scatter as they see my approach. I turn to face Gwendolyn and say to her, "I want you to stay here; it could get bad with Barron involved."

For once Gwendolyn nods and stops her horse, turns him around, and fades back into the forest, almost invisible.

I take a deep breath and dismount, moving into the center of the town, where the burning all those years ago had taken place. I call out, "Barron, show yourself!"

A man comes waltzing out of a house, cracking his knuckles. "Shadow Link, how," he pauses, "nice of you to join me. Would you like the left side of the path or the right?" Barron sneers.

I just shake my head sadly, "Leave before you get hurt, Barron." I smirk slightly.

"Is the child telling me what to do? Just because you're Zelda's favourite, wait, second favourite, doesn't mean that you can tell me what to do." Barron says fiercely.

I roll my eyes, sighing, "I'm not Zelda's favourite, nor will I ever be again."

"That is the exact same thing you said when you left with Kelandra."

"Don't you say her name!" I bellow, taking a step towards Barron.

"You'd better leave now, before you," Barron smirks slowly, "break into tears."

I take another step and yell, "Leave these people alone!"

Barron nods slowly, "But only because you asked nicely. I'll see you sometime in the future, Shadow Link, don't you worry." With that, Barron turns on his heel and walks away, not stopping anywhere, just walking. Some ways out of the town, he mounts a horse and rides away, pushing his horse into a canter.

I sigh and run my hand down my face. Why bring up Kelandra? What does he gain from that? The same woman who approached me at Gwendolyn's house walks hesitantly up to me.

"I won't harm you, ma'am." I say quietly.

The woman nods and says, "Thank you. Even thought the people of the village won't tell you so, we appreciate it."

"I don't need your appreciation." I mutter coldly. I turn and walk back to where I left Arai and mount her, pulling on the reins slightly to turn her around and ride back past Gwendolyn. She joins me quickly and we ride back the way we came, past Gwendolyn's past house again.

About an hour into our ride, I see Link, speaking to a girl, who is wearing trousers and some weird boots. I shake my head, seeing that the girl is gesturing with her arms, and they seem to be arguing. The girl tries to go around Link, but he stops her. Saying something that sounds like, "Now that I have seen you, I cannot be accountable for you death." I roll my eyes; of course Link would say something like that.

The girl still pushes past and then she trips. She grimaces and stands up. Link starts toward her with concern, but she assures him that she's fine.

He puts her into the saddle and mounts after her. He kicks Epona into a trot and rides away, with his captive.

I sigh and shake my head. So that's why Link didn't want me to come after him; oh well. I kick Arai into a slow trot and ride off, looking behind me to make sure Gwendolyn is still there. She is, but not for long: as she slumps in her saddle and falls. She hits the ground and I sigh, turning around and going back to Gwendolyn. I dismount, and kneel at her side.

I shake my head and whisper, "Why did I let you come with me?"

Gwendolyn groans softly as I lift her, moving her off of the path and into a small cave a little way down. I roll my eyes and think, _Now isn't this ironic?_

I set Gwendolyn down and leave the cave, getting our belongings. Tethering the horses to a nearby tree, I haul the packs into the cavern. Softly, as to not wake Gwendolyn, I step over her and make my way to the back of the cave. I check to make sure that there is no one there, and lay out a bedroll. Taking off my quiver, sheathe from my belt, and tunic, I settle down next to where Gwendolyn lay and put my hands behind my head. Breathing out, in a sigh if you will, I close my eyes and settle deeper into the silt on the cave floor.

Gwendolyn stirs; puts her arm over my chest. I start, and open my eyes. I look down at Gwendolyn, and she has her eyes closed still. I relax and allow her to sleep, trying to get some myself. It is the hours before the dawn before my eyes flutter closed.


	7. Chapter 6

Six

_G__**anondorf aims a **__punch towards my stomach. It lands, and a satisfying—to the princess—"Oof!" resounds from me. Again and again the hits come, and again and again I take them, grimacing. The princess holds up her hand, cutting off Ganondorf in the downswing. Ganondorf stops, but smiles and completes his blow. I see it coming and smile a bloody smile, putting all of my malice into it as possible. Zelda holds up her hand again, catching Ganondorf's forearm in it.—_

I wrench my eyes open once again, anxious to forget the dream; the memory. Gwendolyn is curled against my chest and stomach, trying to keep warm. I am up one elbow up and leaning against my arm, half into a sitting position on my side, but my legs are extended to full length. I have one arm around Gwendolyn absently. She's awake, and she glances up at me as I start to move.

"Wait." she says.

"Why?" I question her thought, but stay still.

"This is nice."

I raise one eyebrow and say nothing so Gwendolyn explains, "This; doing nothing and relaxing. I feel so at ease here, in your arms." She smiles, and I reach one hand up to stroke her hair absently.

I sigh, still playing with Gwendolyn's hair. My fingers freeze in motion, realising what I am doing, and I clear my throat. I release the lock of and lower my arm, brushing Gwendolyn's waist. She shudders and sits up, allowing me to rise to my feet.

I walk over to where a small puddle is and I wash my face and hands with the cool water. Turning back, I see that Gwendolyn has not moved from the cave's floor. Sighing, I walk back over to her, I put on my signature coal grey hat, forgetting to put on a tunic before I do so. I put my hand out for Gwendolyn to grasp, intending to help her up; but she brushes off my hand with her own, in a sweeping gesture, and stands on her own.

"Well, fine then." I scoff, only half kidding.

Gwendolyn looks up at me. "I'm sorry. It's just..." She looks away, and I immediately understand, my expression losing all of the mocking.

I touch her chin with two fingers, gently forcing her to look up at me.

My lips part, but no sound escapes. Dropping my hand from her chin, Gwendolyn's eyes don't leave mine. She puts one of her hands on my chest, and my eyebrows go up slightly. A smile plays with my lips as Gwendolyn's face comes closer to mine. But the smile falters, now knowing what she intends to do. She stands on her toes and makes her face almost the same height as mine.

I take a half step back and freeze. I know that this is Gwendolyn's choice, but I am taken aback that it is me, and also so soon after the 'Cecil incidence'. Gwendolyn's face stays the same distance, if not closer, from my own. My own breath catches in my throat as I lean down, closing the distance between us, and brushing my lips against hers.

They're soft, I would tell myself later, but now, now I am in the moment. Now all I see, or rather feel, is Gwendolyn.

She presses herself against my bare torso, and her hands go around my neck. One of my hands comes to rest at her hip, and the other in her now clean, red hair; tangling in it, playing with it.

The kiss deepens and I see my mistake, although I do not try and correct it, and Gwendolyn wraps her arms around me tighter.

Although not too tight; it seems like she is need of comfort. This is not the way to achieve it, but I do not reject her, fearing she'll get more insecure. My eyes close, long after Gwendolyn's blue ones, and her kisses become hungry. I end the kiss there, not wanting it to go farther, although I do not step away.

Gwendolyn's breathing is ragged, she looks up at me. I softly kiss the corner of her mouth, making my way up her face. I kiss her nose, her cheek, her cheekbone. The corner of her eye, her forehead, and then gently hug her, disentangling myself from her hold. As I step back, Gwendolyn says, "We shouldn't've done that shouldn't we've?"

I shake my head, unable to speak. I've kissed on Zelda's orders before, to get into someone's head, to mess with them, but I've never meant it. I've not kissed anyone because I wanted to, for pleasure, in two years. I've never felt this... awestruck, since her. It's an odd feeling, let me tell you.

Giddy, I yank off my hat and put on my normal dark grey tunic. Putting my cap back on, I start to pace the length of the cave.

_Why did you do that? _my voice nags_. I didn't think you took advantage of innocent girls anymore. You vowed, remember?_

"Shush." I say aloud.

"What? I didn't say anything." Gwendolyn sounds genuinely confused.

"Huh? Oh sorry. I'm kind of speaking to myself. Pay no mind." I shake my head, and reply to the voice, this time in my head. _I didn't take advantage of her. _She_ kissed _me_, moron._

_Whatever makes you feel better. You still broke a vow._ The voice seems to not want to leave me be, so I do not try and make it.

Sighing, I start to pace again. "No. We should not have done that. I should not've taken advantage of you like that."

Gwendolyn comes to stand in front of me, making me stop pacing. "No. I kissed you. None was your fault."

"You might think that, but I kissed you back. I should've pushed you away, stopped you." I bring my hand up to rub my chin.

"I acted on impulse. I didn't give you much of a choice." Gwendolyn shrugs. I must seem hurt a little for she adds, "No. I did act on impulse, but that doesn't mean I didn't mean it. I meant it all."

"That's not what I'm concerned about. I'm concerned about this," I gesture to Gwendolyn and then at myself, "going too far."

"I'm not; because it won't." Gwendolyn seems sure of this, but for me, there is still space for doubting.

"You don't know that." I run my hand over my face, and say, "We need to go. We've spent too much time in here already."

Gwendolyn nods, and begins to move about, gathering her belongings. I do the same, making sure my flask with the Great Fairy's water in it is still at my belt.

_Why didn't it work? _I ponder, referring to the water_. She said to be thoughtful of how to use it. So how... Oh._ I mentally kick myself for being so naïve, and take out the flask. I unscrew the top and put a drop on my finger, bringing it to my lips. Seeing that the water is sweet, I feel its magic working. I didn't take in very much so the effects are minimal. But, a small bruise I got from grappling with Gwendolyn's father, one on my wrist, disappears. Almost entirely, save for a small slightly colored spot, right at the center. _Of course._

I punch the wall in my frustration and Gwendolyn comes to stand beside me. She takes my hand in both of hers and says, "Why did you do that?"

Shaking my head I say, "Because I am a stupid person."

She cocks her head to one side and asks a simple question. "Why?"

I sigh deeply and say, "You remember when you were passed out? And I had to cleanse you? Well I got the water from an enchanted spring."

"Oh... I've heard of it. But no one's ever seen her. Except a few." Gwendolyn cuts in.

I don't really mind, because she makes me wonder something. "Why only few? And only to them?"

Gwendolyn seems to not hear my questions, because she says softly, "The Great Fairy came to me once. I went for a walk after one of my father's beatings, and I came upon that pool. I thought it was so serene, so I sat by it and dipped my fingers in the water, cooling them. Before I could stand, a light overcame the water and the Fairy came to me. She beckoned me over and she said, 'Dear child, do not fret. Someone will come to you and free you of this life you have.' I wanted to say back 'Who? Who is to come? Why can you not save me?' but the Great Fairy seemed to read my mind and said, 'Quiet dear child. I cannot save those whom are fated to be saved.' I got more confused by this and more questions came to mind, but I bit them back and the Fairy kissed me, once in the forehead and once on the cheek, and she departed. Leaving me alone, by a still pool that is strangely calm."

I open my mouth to speak, but it seems that Gwendolyn is not done speaking and she says softly and mostly to herself, "I think that the Great Fairy of that fountain only comes to people who are in need of aid, not to those who go seeking it; because after that day, I went up to the pool most every chance I could, and all it would be was an uncommonly calm pool of water."

Gwendolyn's eyes look sad as she finishes, and I have a question, although I try to hold it back, "But I am in no need of aid! How is this that she came to me?"

Gwendolyn shrugs, and says, "I guess you were. But all I know is she was right about one thing." I give her a questioning look and she continues. She looks up at me and smiles. "Someone did come to save me. You did; I found a friend," she hesitates.

I nod sharply, agreeing with her, and I walk about, gathering our belongings.

Walking to the mouth of the cave, I look back to see Gwendolyn still in the same spot. "Well?" I sigh, "Are you coming or are you not?"

Gwendolyn shakes her head, coming back to reality.

"Oh! Yes." She walks by me and I hand her her belongings, along with a dress.

"What's this?" Gwendolyn holds up the light brown dress with disdain.

"A dress..." I say. A girl should know what that is.

"And.. What's-what's it for...?"

"Uhm.. You're supposed to wear it. So put it on." I say, turning around to offer her privacy.

Gwendolyn shakes her head. "No.. I am not going to wear this." She walks over to me and turns me around.

"Well, you're going to have to. We are going through dangerous territory soon, and you cannot look like a man for now. So put it on." I say, and turn around again.

"Fine." Gwendolyn grudgingly agrees. I hear her clothes rustle as she dresses in the... dress. I snicker slightly, and Gwendolyn slaps me on the shoulder. I turn around and show mock hurt.

"It's not funny. I absolutely detest dresses!" Gwendolyn balls up her fists in the fabric, her lower lip quivering.

"Oh cheer up. It is necessary." I pull Gwendolyn's face up to my own and my voice gets serious. I whisper, "You're beautiful."

Gwendolyn blushes furiously, and pulls her face away. "Let's go," she mutters.

We walk to the horses silently, but before Gwendolyn can mount, I put my possessions on her horse, Keiken. Gwendolyn stares at me over the horse, foot already in the stirrup, so I say, "No. I am not convinced that you are well enough to ride alone."

Gwendolyn opens her mouth to protest, but I hold up my hand, a gesture that states I'm not finished speaking, and say, "No and that's final. Last time you fell off. We can't keep stopping like this just because you have to recover."

"Fine." Gwendolyn removes her foot from the stirrup. "Then what are we to do?"

"What else _can_ we do? You're riding with me; let's go."

Gwendolyn pouts, but follows me to Arai.

"Up you get." I say as I try and boost her up into the saddle. She shrugs me off and says, rather coldly,

"I will do it myself." Gwendolyn mounts.

I roll my eyes inwardly, but allow her to do it herself. I suppose she's still a little upset. I should say something to her, to confirm that I'm not just blowing her off from her saying she is my friend. I _am_ her friend, I just have no idea what to say to her about, having had no friends before, well before, and hardly any relationships with anyone.

I mount Arai behind Gwendolyn, and spur the horse forward, rather roughly, and she whickers, throwing her head back. I soothe her, and whisper in Gwendolyn's ear, "Why be upset towards me? I have done nothing."

Gwendolyn sighs and leans back, into my chest. She whispers back, "That is precisely the point. What you _didn't_ do."

"I just met you. What do you-"

Gwendolyn cuts me off, "Expect? Really what was I supposed to say? I JUST KISSED YOU!" Every time she says another sentence, her voice gets louder.

"Shush. Just shush. You're going to burst my ears." I close my eyes to allow my hearing to return, relying on my horse to guide us through the forest that looms before us; the Lakir Forest. I open my eyes and Gwendolyn's face is hovering anxiously above mine.

"What now?" I say aggrievingly.

Gwendolyn gestures around. "Tell me, where are you?"

I raise my head and look around. Oh dear. I'm laying on the ground, flat on my back. "How did I get here?"

"Well... You closed your eyes, and... Wait. You do not remember?" She cocks her head to the left, and it looks... Well to be perfectly honest, it's adorable.

I shake my head; no, I don't remember.

"Well, you kind of just closed your eyes, and, plop. There you were, laying on the ground." Gwendolyn reaches her left hand up and scratches the back of her head.

"But..." I trail off.

"Yes?" Gwendolyn prompts.

"I don't... remember." I say this slowly, thinking as I do.

Gwendolyn looks down at me in concern. "But are you okay? Are you hurt?" She seems anxious, antsy, in case something hit me.

"No, I think I'm fine." I let Gwendolyn help me up, thankful for the hand. "Thanks. It's been a while since I've had a friend. Actually, a long while."

"That's because they're all afraid of you." Gwendolyn hits me lightly on the arm, teasingly.

I smile ever so slightly and wobble a bit, still unstable after my 'fall'.

"Maybe we should rest here. You look pale." Gwendolyn puts her arm around my waist to keep me standing, and I am glad of the reassurance.

"No." I shake my head and walk back to Arai. "We can't. We've only just begun and we have so much ground to cover."

"And what ground is that, where are we going?" I boost Gwendolyn into the saddle, and then I mount myself, this time having her sitting behind me.

"I will tell you that when we get going." I gently kick Arai into a quick walk, and lead Keiken by the reins. "Now, hold on, and tell me if you see something or feel something going bad, or anything, really."


	8. Chapter 7

Seven

G**wendolyn wraps her** arms around my torso and clasps them in the front. She leans her head on my shoulder, her forehead against my shoulder blade.

She whispers, "This time, please don't fall off."

I smile slightly and say, "Well, I cannot really promise that, since I didn't know I did in the first place." I shake my head in disbelief.

Gwendolyn shakes her head, too. "I don't know... You just... fell off."

I shrug, and Gwendolyn takes her head off my shoulder. "So. Where are we going?"

"I was thinking of visiting the Zoras. They've been having some problems with, ah, with something."

"Something what?" Gwendolyn cuts in.

"Something I cannot tell you. I am sorry, you will know soon enough. I have to speak with their king about... the... princess." I finish lamely.

Gwendolyn shakes her head again, short red hair shining in the spots of sunlight, only this time smiling. "Why am I not surprised?"

I look back at her, and smile one of my glowing smiles at her. I peck her on the cheek and whisper in her ear, "And why is that? Is it because I am Dark Link, or perhaps because I am devious and conniving?"

Gwendolyn rests her chin the crook of where my shoulder and neck meet and whispers in my own ear, "Or perhaps both?" I can feel her mouth slowly upturn into a smile against my pointed elf ear.

I close my eyes, feeling her warm breath against the side of my face. I slowly smile too, and say, "Well, I guess it could be that. But, be lucky you're my friend, and not against me."

"Wait. You said before, you haven't had a friend for a long while, why not?"

I stiffen and sharply intake air. Gwendolyn removes her head. "I'm sorry." she says softly. "I will not bring it up again."

"No. It's fine. It is touchy, but remind me when we're done at Zora's Domain, and I will tell you."

Gwendolyn nods, and says softly, "Only when and if you're ready."

My eyes open slowly, and I lead Arai back onto the trail; she had wandered slightly to nibble some plants on the way. "You're so understanding, and so patient. Why is this so?"

Gwendolyn slides her hands up my torso, so her hands are resting on my chest, and I struggle to keep my breathing calm for some reason. "I have learned that if you are patient with someone, they will open up to you in their own time, and hate you less for it than if they told you begrudgingly. So if I'm patient with you, maybe I will know sooner and in less pain, for you, than if I tried to make you now. I may learn more about you this way." Gwendolyn shrugs, seemingly comfortable, slightly hugging me.

I breathe deeply and sigh, "You're right, I would not tell you if you had asked to hear now, I may have never told you." I shrug also and correct Arai's course again. The mare will not stop straying.

"Where are we, girl, why do you keep wandering?" I ask the horse softly, looking about. I look down at the plants she keeps eating, and stop her suddenly.

"Let go of me and stay on the horse." I tell Gwendolyn sharply. She releases me and I go sprawling on the ground, this time conscious.

I give the forest a wry smile, and stand, looking into the upcoming darkness.

"Why must you always throw me on the ground _every time_ we see each other? Last time you threw me unconscious." I throw my hands up as the 'person' shrugs, smiling.

They walk out of the trees and greet me in their way, left hand curled palm out on the sternum. "Why must you always have a new whore every time we see each other? Zelda must get tired of you bedding another."

I look up at Gwendolyn on Arai and shrug, winking at her. I answer his question with another: "Why do you always wear that purple robe? Do you not have any other colors, Vaati?"

Vaati winks at me, then looks up at Gwendolyn. "She's a little different than the others, Shadow. Shorter hair, and I thought you didn't get the red haired ones?"

"And why is that?" I play along, refusing to look at Gwendolyn, because I know she must be appalled right now.

"Superstition, you told me once."

"And what makes you think that this is a new whore?" I finally glance up at Gwendolyn, and I am right. She looks utterly appalled. I give her a look that hopefully tells her to act normally.

"And why else would you, Shadow, have a woman, if not to lie with?"

"Well, if you pressure me, I may not tell." I raise my left eyebrow and smirk, crossing my arms across my chest.

Vaati throws up his arms in exasperation, "You always do this to me."

"Well, maybe you should learn to have some patience."

"You know I have none, not after the incident with Master Ezlo and the Minish Cap. I could not even finish my studies."

"Do you then, accept me into your camp for the night? I may tell you _if_ you are patient."

"I do, Shadow." Vaati bows, holding out his arm in a sweeping gesture, and graciously opens the path to his home, the Lakir Ruins.

I mount Arai again, in front of Gwendolyn, and the dark mare walks of her own accord onto the path that she has been trying to follow. Vaati lures animals in with an illusion of what they need most, and then kills them. It is how he hunts.

Gwendolyn pokes me in my right side and says furiously, "Why did you not correct this Vaati character when he said I was your whore?"

I shrug, and this causes Gwendolyn to poke me again, this time harder. "Och! Will you stop doing that and allow me to explain? I was _going_ to tell you, but now maybe I won't."

Gwendolyn wraps her arms around me again, and whispers in my ear, "I am sorry. I was just surprised that he said that, and that you didn't correct him."

I sigh, "Because Vaati thrives off of the pain of others. He is… sadistic, if you want to call it that, I suppose."

"So, that means if I had said I wasn't a whore, and you insisted I was, which I'm sure you would, to keep Vaati thinking I'm yours?" I nod, and Gwendolyn keeps speaking, "Then my pain would've shown through because I would've thought you had betrayed me and you were never my friend. Am I correct?"

"Yes, that is correct. But I am your friend, and... well, Vaati still thinks you're my whore, and that's how it will stay, because otherwise he will claim you for his own and you will not leave for a long while. Do you understand?"

Gwendolyn nods ever so slightly, and buries her face in my shoulder.

"And whenever you speak, do it softly," I say, trying to be soft myself.

"Why?" Gwendolyn whispers into my shoulder.

"Because Vaati also pleasures in spying on people." I raise my voice and look around, "Isn't that right?"

Vaati comes out of the trees, smiling slightly. "Yes, that is correct."

I sigh, and kick Arai into a trot and come to a clearing in the forest. I stop her and dismount. Pulling Gwendolyn from the saddle, I put my hand lightly around her waist. Propelling her towards the hammock I always stay at, I speak to Vaati. "You know that we are only staying one night, right?"

Vaati nods, and says, "If you would like better accommodations, I can provide them." Vaati glances at Gwendolyn while he says this.

I also look at her, and shrug. "No, I think we will be fine here."

"Suit yourselves." With that, Vaati leaves for his home, deep in the Ruins.

As Vaati disappears, I tell Gwendolyn, "You can have the hammock. I'll take the ground."

But she shakes her head, "No, if we are to keep that Vaati character believing that I'm your whore, then we have to 'sleep' together." Gwendolyn puts the word 'sleep' in quotations.

Alright..." I say, and sit down next to Gwendolyn. I remove everything except my tights, boots, tunic, hat, and undershirt.

"Okay, what if you, and then I, could you?" Gwendolyn and I struggle to get comfortable without being too familiar with each other.

"Oh just come here." I lean down in the hammock, and pull her with me. I have one leg partially hanging off, and the other is bent at the knee, against the side of the hammock. I have my right hand clasped with Gwendolyn's, to my side, and the other hand is behind my head. I've pulled Gwendolyn down so that she is partly laying on me and partly to the side of me.

"There. How's this?" I say, kind of exasperated.

"Oddly comfortable..." Gwendolyn whispers.

I raise an eyebrow. "Oddly?" then smile, "Oh. Never mind."

Gwendolyn nods, and nestles herself deeper to get settled. I breathe out slowly, and close my eyes halfway.

"You said before, when you made me put on that dress, that I was beautiful. What did you mean?" My eyes open, and Gwendolyn looks up at me.

I stare at her for a minute, and decide to say, "It seemed like the right thing to say. I don't really know, it came to my mind. Now, go to sleep."

Gwendolyn looks like she is going to say something, so I lean over and kiss her lightly to shut her up.

"Now, go to sleep." I close my eyes and lean my head into the rough fabric. I hear Gwendolyn sigh, and she leans her head on my shoulder.

"I just thought that-" Gwendolyn starts.

"Shush and sleep. You're going to need it." I mumble, mostly asleep.

"But-"

"Gwendolyn. Shhh..." I look down at her and put my index finger on her lips as they part to speak again. She seems to understand, and lays her head against my shoulder again.

"You know you can call me Gwen." Gwendolyn looks up at me with her head still resting on my shoulder.

I shake my head, and clamp my hand over her mouth to prevent her from speaking any more. "Stop, talking. And go to sleep."

"Mmmmff..." Gwendolyn tries to remove my hand.

I raise my eyebrows, and say, "No. And I will not make your name shorter, either."

"Hmmf..." Gwendolyn tries to remove my hand again, but it just makes me hold it tighter.

"Sleeeep..." I say for the last time of the night, for I fall asleep, my hand slipping from Gwendolyn's mouth. She grabs my hand and holds it at her side, I don't know why.


	9. Chapter 8

Eight

"_W__hen I tell you to stop, you cease." Princess Zelda says, still holding Ganondorf's forearm. She throws it down and it swings on its own accord at Ganondorf's side._

_"He deserves it. You know he does." Ganondorf gestures to me and my bloodiness._

_"I kno-" Zelda starts._

_"No one should have to go through that. I wasn't going to put that child through such disaster." I spit out some blood._

_"Disobeying orders gets you this." Zelda gestures to the dungeon I am imprisoned in and swings her gloved hand towards my face. She slaps me, presumably for interrupting her._

_"I ordered you to burn her, her mother, and her sister for witchcraft. You do as I asked up until the child. Why is that?"_

_"Why is this? Why do you think? They did not deserve what they got! No one was even sure that they were witches."—_

I sit straight up in the hammock and it tips over. I go sprawling on the ground and Gwendolyn tumbles with me. Our legs get tangled and I blink furiously, trying to wake up quickly.

"What happened?" Gwendolyn looks up at me and blinks.

"Bad dream..." I mumble and look away from her, blushing.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gwendolyn struggles to sit up.

"No." I snap at her. Standing, I pace from one tree to the other. "And what makes you think I want to share my past with you either?"

Gwendolyn looks at me as if I had struck her. I walk over to her and crouch, resting on my toes. "I'm sorry." I say softly, and reach up my hand to stroke her cheek.

She flinches away, "Dark, don't try and kiss up to me again. You treat me like your equal, then explode on me, and then apologise!" She throws her arms up. "What is it going to be? Nice to me or not?"

"Gwendolyn, I'm so sorry. But, trust me." I lean over, and kiss her lips. Her eyes widen in surprise, and I lay my hands on her body. One on her neck, caressing her head, and the other on her hip, clutching the fabric. Gwendolyn gently closes her eyes, and leans into me. I layer soft kisses on her neck, and Gwendolyn shudders.

"Dark..." Gwendolyn whispers, almost inaudibly.

"Shhh... I'm sorry to put you through this. But Vaati is spying again." I say in between kisses.

"Ohhh..." Gwendolyn wraps her arms around me in understanding.

"You two really should get a room." Vaati says, smirking.

My lips freeze mid kiss, genuinely surprised that Vaati would interrupt.

I slowly turn to look at him, and say, "Is it not rude to interrupt?" My eyes flash a dangerous red. "It matters not, for we must be leaving."

Vaati stares me down and then gestures roughly with a jerk of the head for us to leave. "Get you and your whore out of my sight. I don't want to see you again."

I stand slowly, taking Gwendolyn's hands in mine, drawing her to my side. "What is up with this sudden behaviour, Vaati? You're usually so... mellow." When he just glares at me, I turn around, holding Gwendolyn to my chest protectively, and start to walk away, towards the horses and towards all of our possessions.

"Shadow, wait..." Vaati holds out his arm, and grabs a hold of my forearm. "I'm sorry, I overreacted. I've been in a bad mood ever since Shakra moved back into the ruins."

Vaati releases me as I keep moving, but at the mention on Shakra, I freeze, dropping my arms to my sides. "Shakra has moved back?" I utter, not able to raise my voice. "Or are you just saying that to keep me here? To play with my toy?"

Vaati shrugs and says, "Maybe both, but she has moved back in. And I want her out, but I'll need some help."

I nod tersely, and say, "I'll help you. But we need to get one thing straight. Gwendolyn isn't my whore, she's a friend who's been through a lot, so if you touch her, my hand _will_ be forced. Understood?"

Vaati nods slowly, and says, "I think we understand each other completely. I must say, Shadow, I'm surprised you fooled me for so long. But I was also surprised that she was the 'whore of the day', which planted the seed of doubt in my mind."

"'Whore of the day'?" Gwendolyn walks around me and stands between Vaati and I.

"You just _had_ to bring that up, didn't you?" I run my right hand over my face, exhaling deeply.

Vaati freezes, then scrunches his nose. "Oh, dear. Shadow..."

"No, don't bother." I turn to face Gwendolyn and say, "Gwendolyn, the last time I had a whore," I turn and glare at Vaati, "was when I was working under Zelda. And that was only for..." I trail off.

"Only for...?" Gwendolyn prompts, and raises an eyebrow.

"I'd... rather not talk about it..." I look away, embarrassed.

Gwendolyn nods, and drops the subject.

Vaati opens his mouth to say something, but changes his mind, shaking his head.

"You have something to add, Vaati?" I smirk, hoping this will be good.

"It's just that, she's so understanding of you. Most people demand, well, everything from dear Shadow here." Vaati covers his mouth to smother a laugh.

"You shut your mouth, and tell me where Shakra is so Gwendolyn and I can get out of here."

Vaati holds up his hands in defense, palms out. "Alright, alright. She's where she was last time, the tall tower on the west side?"

I nod, and start in the direction of the horses again, to get my sword and bow.

Gwendolyn follows me and whispers, "Do you mean to leave me alone with him?"

I nod and Gwendolyn's eyes widen. I look over at her and she's white as a sheet.

"What?" I say, exasperated.

"You're leaving me alone with him? I thought you said... that he'd... do stuff to me." She looks down, at her feet.

"You'll be fine. He gave me his word, and besides, I'll know if he's touched you."

"How?"

"By the look in your eyes. Don't ask me how I know that, I just do. So, relax and enjoy yourself." I push her down on the hammock we slept in, and buckle my belt and quiver. Putting my sword in its sheathe, I turn and face Vaati.

I point at him and say, "Remember. Not. A. Thing. I _will_ find out if you do."

Vaati simply nods, so I turn on my heel and head towards Vaati's home, the Lakir Ruins.

Gwendolyn runs after me and says, "Be careful!" She pecks me on the cheek again and gives me a tight hug, nuzzling her face into my shoulder.

"I'll try my best." I say into her hair, hugging her to my chest.

We separate and Gwendolyn has tears in her eyes. I put my hands on her cheeks and wipe the tears away with my thumbs.

"I _will_ come back." I whisper to Gwendolyn. I turn on my heel, again, and disappear into the Ruins.


	10. Chapter 9

Nine

Sighing, I walk back over to where Vaati is, and sit down on the hammock.

"You're fond of Shadow, are you not?" Vaati says, crossing his arms and leaning against the tree to where the hammock is tied.

"Why do you call him Shadow?" I answer his question with one myself.

"Because it is what he is. The shadow of Link. Born only because Link was facing great confusion when he was born, so the dark side of his soul got split into its own person. One side light, Link, and one side dark, Shadow Link."

"But he's no shadow. He has substance, I can feel him." I protest.

Vaati raises an eyebrow and says, "So I noticed."

I purse my lips and tell him. "And to answer your question, yes, I am slightly fond of Dark. But don't go around telling him that."

"Oh, I won't. But don't you get tired of not getting an answer from him?" Vaati sits down next to me.

I shake my head, "Not really. I feel that he will tell me on his choosing, and not mine."

"You are a very patient woman." Vaati say as he puts his arm around me.

I try to shrug him off and say, "You know that Dark told you not to touch me."

But Vaati keeps his place, and shrugs. "What Shadow doesn't know won't hurt him." He places his arm around me again.

"Oh he'll know. Somehow he does with me. I have no idea why."

Vaati raises his eyebrows.

"What...?" I ask, looking over at him.

"I have... My own theories, although I would rather Shadow call me on it before you knowing."

"And why is that?" Now I raise my eyebrows.

Vaati mumbles something that sounds like, "You're his, I have no control over you..." That can't be though, but he also removes his arm from around me and stands.

"You should get some sleep." He mumbles loud enough for me to hear, and Vaati walks off to some distant campsite.

Sighing, I lie down on the hammock and try to get some sleep. Almost instantly, my eyes flutter closed...

_I dream of my father, Lucero, beating me, after I have been bad for some reason. He hits me once, twice, and thrice. Coming down for the third time, I know he's coming, so I brace for impact, screwing my eyes shut. But it doesn't come, so I open my eyes slightly._

_My father has his fist about a foot from my face. He retracts it, seeing me brace. He raises his eyebrows and pulls me to my feet, looking more murderous than he has in days._

_"You know not to do that, wretch." He drags me by my wrists to a barn near the house, where there are rafters, and room to put up shackles on them._

No, no, no, no..._ My mind repeats the same word over and over again as I realise what he means to do._

_The Pamkayrd, a torture tool, is designed like a short, non-flexible whip, about three quarters of a foot long, that has a magical, metallic tip on the end that cuts and inserts slow acting poison into the body, and my worst nightmare._

_I've only gotten it twice before this, and for days after, I was in a stupor, only able to recognise the slow, grueling pain of my father raping me. The Pamkayrd, for me, means inevitable violation. And as my father drags me over to the shackles, I start to cry._

_He makes me stand with my hands above my head, on my toes so I have to allow the shackles to cut into my wrists, not being able to hold up my own weight. I am not able to stand, think, or even hardly breathe as he makes contact with the Pamkayrd to my skin._

_I scream in pain and twist on the iron cuffs when the hits come. He hits me mercilessly, countless times. Dragging the Pamkayrd across my bare torso, my father grins maniacally. Slow, unbearable pain and torture come to me in the better part of two hours, me only half conscious during most of it. After he thinks he's sufficiently taught me a lesson, my father undoes my bonds and I collapse onto the hay covered, and blood covered, dirt ground. He doesn't seem to care all that much about me, so he just grabs my chafed wrists and drags me back into the house, only to be molested countless more times._

What did I do to deserve this?_ I think to myself as my father throws me onto the settee and undoes my belt buckle.—_

Gasping, I wrench myself out of the memory before it can go further. To help me forget it, I think of Dark.

_Is he okay? He'd better come back_. I cross my left arm on my torso against the cold and retrieve the blanket that fell off during my slumber with the right.

Wrapping it around me, I glance towards the ruins and imagine what he's doing at this moment...


	11. Chapter 10

Ten

I turn left into a deserted passageway, Hell, all the passageways are deserted. I haven't seen head nor tail of Shakra since I got here. Well, it's been only one day. Looking right, I go left again.

Crud. Wrong turn. I suppose it's been a while since I was here last time. I turn around and go straight at the intersection, where I was supposed to go right before. Finding stairs at the end of the hall, I take them two at a time, coming to the top within only a couple flights.

"Och!" I rub the top of my head with one hand while pushing open the sideways door on the ceiling. It HAS been a while since I was here last. Jeez.

Warily walking into the highest tower on the west side, I spy Shakra snoozing near the four post bed on the left.

My dark sword makes a _shing_ sound as I unsheathe it. Shakra snorts, and turns slightly in her slumber. I pad over to her silently and put the tip of the blade against her throat.

"Fall out of bed?" I say, with plenty of malice. Time to take off the pity and friendly mask.

Shakra jerks awake, but doesn't move because of my sword. Her eyes slit. "Shadow Link. How _pleasant_ to see you again."

I nod shortly. "Likewise. Although it's too bad it has to be under these conditions. Vaati sent me to dispose of you."

Shakra crosses her arms and cocks her head to the side, it reminds me of Gwendolyn. "Did he really? Well, aren't you going to _dispose of me?"_

I sigh, transfer my weight from my right foot to my left, a habit I've picked up from the years of Zelda before 'disposing' of people, and grit my teeth, readying myself for the blood.

"Well, get on with it if it's going to happen." Shakra seems impatient to... die?

I loosen my grip on the hilt of my sword and question, "You seem eager to die. Why is this?"

"You've been sent here to get rid of me, I know I give Vaati a headache, so just get rid of me." Tears start to form in Shakra's eyes.

"Oh dear, this doesn't have to be like this, you know." I say softly.

Shakra nods and whispers, "Get it over with. Just kill me. You might as well."

Flashbacks come to me of Gwendolyn and my first meeting. She told me I might as well've killed her. I shudder and almost put my sword away.

"Kill me! Put that blasted dark sword into my torso!" Shakra screams.

"I will not." I shake my head.

"You have to." Shakra says to herself. She jerks forward and screws her eyes shut as the tip of the blade slices through her flesh.

"Shakra!" I scream, I quickly pull the sword out of her torso and Shakra topples to the floor.

"Dammit woman!" I kneel on the floor and pull her onto my lap. Putting two fingers to her throat, feeling for a pulse. Finding none, I frantically press into her skin searching for a pulse while her blood pools around me.

_She's dead,_ my conscience tells me.

_Shut up. She's not_. I snap back.

_Don't deny it. She is,_ my conscience gently says.

"I... I killed... killed her..." I start to break down and rock myself while crying.

After my crying jag, I slowly stand, letting Shakra fall off of my lap as I do so. I pick her up again and lay her gently on the bed that rests next to me. Going back the way I came, I numbly exit Vaati's ruins.

Gwendolyn rushes towards me, looking me over, seeing the blood.

"You're hurt? There's so much blood!" she exclaims.

"None of it is mine." I say softly.

"Then whose is it?" Vaati smoothly enters the conversation, almost gliding over to us.

"Whose do you think?" I glare at him, wanting more than anything to throttle him on the spot.

Vaati's eyes get wide, a look of horror overwhelms him. "She's... she's dead...?"

I nod slowly, just now processing the information, also.

"Why did you kill her? I just told you to dispose of her, not downright kill her! I thought that having Gwendolyn here had made you soft, so you wouldn't kill her, I suppose I was wrong." Vaati starts to walk away, but I grab his upper arm.

"Vaati, wait. I did intend, going up there, to kill her, but, when I got there, Shakra reminded me so much of Gwendolyn and I just couldn't kill her."

"Then why did you?" Vaati turns to face me.

"I didn't. I was about to withdraw my sword, when she thrust upward and killed herself." As much as I try to keep my voice level, it cracks at the end.

Vaati stares at me, speechless, until I say, "We need to be leaving. I have duties with the Zoras and they need to be addressed as soon as Gwendolyn and I can get there." I look away from Vaati's face and turn towards Gwendolyn's.

"Come." is all I say to her.

"Shadow, at least allow me to provide you with some clean clothes. The ones you have on are covered in blood." Vaati ushers me towards his campsite not far off.

He shows me where I keep my extra clothes and I get suspicious. "Vaati, I know where my clothes are. You don't have to show me."

"I need to speak to you about Gwendolyn. You're falling in love with her, aren't you?" Vaati has always been blunt, but even this is too far.

I stiffen and say softly, "No. And even if I were, would I be telling you?"

"Hey, I was just wondering. Because she told me—"

"No. I do not want to hear it, Vaati. If she thinks something of me, she'll tell me when she's ready, I refuse to pressure that girl. She's... fragile... I guess." I struggle to grasp the correct words.

"Fragile?" Vaati snickers.

"Yes. Fragile. And I'm not explaining to the likes of you." I say to Vaati as I dress in my normal dark grey tunic, the only difference is that this one is clean. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go ahead. Think bad thoughts. Because they won't affect me; Vaati and I have been like brothers since we were small children, we have no shame in changing in front of each other.

"Alright. Keep your secrets." Vaati looks back at me and sees that I'm done changing.

"I really must be going. Thank you for your hospitality, and I really didn't want to kill Shakra. She seemed to have a death wish." I walk out of the room and house, heading towards Gwendolyn.

Grasping our stuff, I saddle up Arai and boost Gwendolyn into the saddle. Putting my own self into the saddle behind her, I nod at Vaati, who does his usual farewell: his left hand curled palm out, on his sternum.

Gently kicking Arai into a quick walk, Gwendolyn and I are on our way.


	12. Chapter 11

Eleven

I watch Shadow and Gwendolyn be carried away swiftly by Arai, and know not to follow them. They'll be safe.

Turning away, I think of what Shadow told me. 'She seemed to have a death wish.' Shadow said it casually enough, but I know he's upset, even just a little. I turn and walk towards the Ruins.

_Oh. Oh, Ezlo, Shakra. You've done it this time._ I think to myself as I walk into her room. I see her body on the four post bed, still and silent. I swallow hard, trying to remove the hard spot in my throat, and slowly walk over to her body.

_I can't help you this time._ Tears start to form in my eyes, not surprising because I'm really a softy underneath this hard front.

"Why? Why, Shakra, why? You had to leave me behind!" I yell and kick a loose panel in the floorboards. I know that Shakra gave me a headache whenever she invaded, and she knew it, but it was entertaining. And nice to have someone other than myself to talk to. If only I'd told her that.

But, maybe it was something else. I peek around the room, looking for something, anything, that will tell me there was something else that ailed her.

"Aha!" I mutter. I pull a small piece of paper out from underneath the mattress of the bed. Afraid to open it, I gingerly unfold the creases.

It reads:

_'Dear Vaati,_

_I'm sorry to write this to you, so sorry to put you through this. I know you probably will either never find this or just not care. Please, though, read this at least. As a last request to me.-'_

Why does she think I won't read it? Did I really brush her off that much? I read on:

_'I just can't go through this anymore, living this lie of a life. None of this is your fault, I just wish I had a chance to tell you in person, and I wish that you would have been a little more sensitive. I thought you were more observant than this; as to not even notice something was amiss with me._

_I am sorry; I don't mean to put guilt on you, if you cared at all. I do have a few things to say to you before I go. One, I cared more than you thought. Two, I think you cared more than you let on. Three, I know Dark is visiting soon, or at least passing through, so I am invading a little before that so that he can 'dispose' of me. I wonder if he still does that right foot to left foot move before he kills someone? I guess I'll have to find out._

_I'm sorry, I'm rambling. Oh dear, in my own suicide letter._—'

I choke upon reading the word 'suicide'.

'_Four, I had other meanings for why I am dying. Their hand has been forced, they are coming for me and they might come to your Ruins. Be warned, they're dangerous, I got myself messed up with them years and years ago and now they're coming for me. So my death is not the result of you being too insensitive.-'_

She keeps pointing out the fact that I was insensitive. Was I that bad? I suppose I did get agitated every time she'd visit...

_'I have more to say to you, but, alas, it has to be done in person, so I can't tell you. Oh well, you probably won't care.-'_

Of course I'd care! If only I knew. I could have stopped this. I sigh, but still continue to read on, now nearing the end...

_'I guess I have nothing else to say, so I'll end this here, with three words: I love you. Goodbye, Vaati...'_

Tears start spilling from my eyes and they drip onto the black pen of the letter. My hands start to shake, and I can no longer hold the paper. It flutters to the ground and my arms drop to my sides.

Feeling a little bit shaken up, I lower myself onto Shakra's bed.

_I can't believe it. She's actually _gone_ this time,_ my numb mind thinks. I shake my head in disbelief and lean over her.

"Oh, Shakra, there was so much I could have told you. I could have stopped this." I lean over more to kiss her forehead and find, quite surprising, that she's still warm. Not alive, just warm.

"I have only one chance for this." I say softly. There's a tale that says if you're truly meant to be with this person and you give them a kiss, you have to mean it, and they're not too mortally wounded, even if they're dead, you can save them. And even then, it only works in the rarest occasions and from people of magic. Or rather, mages. I smile slightly, wryly, and lean in to kiss Shakra.

I put my left hand behind her head to support it and my right rests on the bed, supporting me so I don't fall on her. I lick my lips and press them against Shakra's. Her lips are soft, and warm, even in death. I screw my eyes shut and will this to work.

I end the kiss and lean back to see if it worked. Nothing moves, nothing stirs, and nothing happens.

I clench my hands into fists and stand from the bed. It didn't work.

"Dammit!" I yell and spin away from her broken body.

"I loved you more than you thought." I whisper to no one. And with this, I disappear into the dark, leaving her room.

I walk out into the forest and sit down on the hammock that Shadow and Gwendolyn slept on. He could have just told me that she wasn't to be touched. I would have respected his request. I think there was more to that, knowing myself that most often than not, you don't say anything because of fear. He cares for her more than he thinks. And more than she thinks. I just hope they don't wait too long, when it's too late.

I bury my head in my hands and lean over, trying not to weep.

"Ahem. Can you please direct us to Miss Shakra? We need to speak with her." someone says.

I lift my head and focus on the six men in front of me. "You? You were the ones?"

The man shakes his head in confusion, "The ones? Which ones, may I ask?"

"No, you may _not_ ask. But, you may _die_." I say quietly, to the point. I stand and make my way over to them.

"Die? I'm afraid I don't understand. We just need to speak with Shakra. Do you know where she is?" the man says, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I know where she is. Her soul is but a little way above our heads, staying for thine to keep her company. Either thou or I, or both, must go with her." I say dangerously, readying the Minish Cap. I don't use it much now, having no need, and keeping a promise to Ezlo: don't use the Cap except for in dire need. I think this counts as 'dire need'.

I summon a short sword to my left hand and a magic rod to my right. "Time to die." I say murderously.

The men scatter. I slash the one who spoke across the chest, splaying blood everywhere. He goes down, and I search for them next.

Finding three, I stab one with the sword and burn another with the rod. The third falls to the ground, trying to plead innocence. "I didn't know! Please don't kill me, I'll leave!" But my soul needs vengeance, so I quickly dispatch him, too. His blood goes all over my robe, so I discard it, leaving me with my tunic.

I search for the last two and I am rewarded. I find them behind my campsite, conversing with each other.

I sneak up on them, trying to hear their conversation.

"What do you think we should do? That man looked like he _would_ kill us." the first man says, he has pale blonde hair.

"Well, what do you expect? We ourselves came to dispatch the girl." the second, with dark brown.

"How were we supposed to know that some vengeful man was going to try and kill us?" the first man's voice escalates to a near yell.

"Quiet! Do you _want_ him to hear us?" the second man tries to hush the blonde.

"It's far too late for that." I reveal myself quietly.

"Oh no. Now look what you've done!" the second man says, looking over at his confidant.

"Came to kill Shakra?" I shake my head. "Not a good idea, not at all. Because you know what that means?"

Both of the men shake their heads.

"It means, you have to die." My eyes flash murderously and I slash the brown haired one at the neck, his blood spraying over my tunic. Crud. Another tunic ruined. I sigh, but the brown falls to the ground.

The blonde looks down in horror at his friend and then up at me. His eyes show defeat. He kneels and says to me, "Kill me. It's no more than I deserve. You might as well." If he's trying to get pity so I won't kill him, he's failing. "I mean, we _did_ rape her, and beat her, and almost kill her. But, she got away, so we had to come get her so she wouldn't tell."

Oh, Master Ezlo, oh damn. They did WHAT to Shakra? "You're dead." I say, deadly as I've ever been.

And with that, the blonde drops, dead.

I turn away and walk towards my camp, away from the Ruins. "I'm so sorry, Shakra." I whisper into the wind. A tear escapes my control and slides down my cheek.


	13. Chapter 12

Twelve

"V**aati?" a quiet,** female voice calls, hesitantly, from behind.

With my breathing still heavy, I look to the voice I'd heard. My eyes go wide at what I see.

"Shakra. Oh Ezlo, Shakra." I whisper, feeling so relieved. Tears form in my eyes as I start walking in her direction. "Are you real, am I dreaming? Or perhaps dead?"

Shakra smiles slightly at my confusion and says, "Yes I am, no you're not, and I thought I was dead. Why am I not?"

Reaching her, I pull her into my arms, and allow tears to fall from my closed eyes. "I thought I'd never see you again." I breathe a sigh of relief and explain, "You _were_ dead. I thought you were dead for good. And when I read your letter, oh Shakra, it broke my heart." I hold her at an arm's length away and look her over.

"You look horrible." I say, smiling a bit.

Shakra raises an eyebrow. "_I_ look horrible? You should see yourself! You've got blood all over you. Are you okay?"

I recall what Shadow said to me when he had killed Shakra. "None of it is mine."

"Then whose?" she questions.

"The men..." I trail off.

"Ohh okay. I- I didn't think you'd kill them." Shakra seems to still believe I don't like her.

"I didn't either. I thought _they'd_ kill _me_. And I was actually okay with that. I almost let them."

Shakra cocks her head to the side. Now I know why she reminded Shadow of Gwendolyn. "I- you read the letter?"

I bring her into my arms again. Shakra remains stiff, but I'm afraid, too afraid that if I let go she'll be gone. I nod into her hair. "Of course I did. Whatever made you think I wouldn't?"

"I thought you didn't like me. I thought I gave you a headache." I can hear the tears in her voice.

I lean out again and look at her. There are tears starting to fall, so I reach up and cup her cheeks in my hands. With my thumbs, I wipe away her tears. Glancing down at her body, I notice that she is still wearing the same clothes she died in.

I put my arm around her shoulders and turn around to walk back to my campsite. "C'mon, let's get you changed. You're wearing what you died in."

"Well I didn't have much time to change. I was too busy wondering why I was alive..." she looks up at me.

I lick my lips and say, "You are alive because- because- because I brought you back." I finish hesitantly, not knowing how she'll take it.

We reach my home and I open the door to usher her in. She goes willingly, or perhaps because she's trying to figure out how I did it.

"But- how?" she spurts out.

I look at her, trying to find a way to say it. "Well, do you remember that legend I told you of, the one where a kiss from the beloved to the dead would bring them back?"

"Uhm... Yes. But, if I recall correctly, it could only be... a... Oh, Vaati, it could only be by a mage. And only by their one true love." she finishes slowly. Shakra looks over at me.

I nod slowly. "At first, when nothing happened, I thought it didn't work, and then the men came, I was so upset I just killed them. Then you came," I gesture to Shakra, "and I thought I was in a dream. You have no idea how relieved I was."

Shakra walks over to me slowly and says, "I thought you didn't care. I thought you would rejoice in my death." She closes her eyes.

"If only you'd come to me before all this happened. Why didn't you?" I question. "And rejoice in your death? I cared for you, just didn't know how to show it."

"I thought that you would... I don't know. I thought you didn't care, I couldn't face you, so I wrote you that letter."

"Yes, that damned letter." I turn away to look for a clean tunic and robe for myself. I find one and slip my ruined one off. I hold the tunic in my hands, but place it back in the drawer, along with the robe. I'll be going to sleep soon anyways, so I'll have to take off the tunic again, so why bother putting it on in the first place? I continue speaking, "It tore me apart, it did. When I finished it, I couldn't even keep a hold on it. And when I tried the kiss, it didn't work." Turning towards her again, I resist the need to pull Shakra into my arms again.

"You know why I always came back here?" she says abruptly. I shake my head.

"It wasn't to annoy you, or make you mad. I needed to be near you." Shakra looks at me again.

I open my mouth to speak, but Shakra cuts me off. "But I could never say that to you, because you would scorn me and I'd never be able to come again. So I chose to slowly die inside and see you, than tell you and never see you again."

"You should have told me. Damn, I shouldn't have been such an ass to you. I'm so sorry, Shakra." This time I _do_ pull her into my arms, and this time she wraps her arms around me. "And don't kill yourself anymore. I don't know how much more of that I could take." I say this lightly and Shakra takes it that way. She giggles and looks up at me.

"I'm sorry, Vaati. I won't, I promise." she says quietly.

We're silent for a moment, then Shakra says, "You cared for me? Had a funny way of showing it."

I chuckle, then say, "I thought if you didn't feel the same, you'd leave, and I'd never see you again. So I, like you, chose to slowly die inside to see you."

Shakra pulls out of my arms and turns, looking for clothes. "We are so out of sync. If only we had told each other, then we wouldn't be in this situation."

I reach into a drawer and pull out some of my own clothes. I press them into her hands and turn around to allow her privacy.

"Thank you. For saving me." I can hear her clothes rustle as she dresses. "I'm done." she murmurs.

I turn around and take her in. My tunic is overly large on her, coming down to her knees. I start to say you're welcome to her, but she doesn't give me the chance.

Shakra walks up to me and puts her arms around me. She looks up at me and stands on her toes. I know what she intends as her face gets closer to my own. I lean down, closing the distance between us.

Her lips are soft against my own, and warmer than when I kissed her for life.

Wrapping her arms around my neck, she presses herself closer to me. I kiss her softly. Layering kisses down her face, to her neck.

My hands rest at her hips. Shakra exhales air softly, and closes her eyes, nuzzling her face into my shoulder and neck.

I step forward, placing one foot on either side of her left one, and Shakra doesn't move, which presses her even closer to me.

I gather the tunic's cloth in my hands, and work it up over Shakra's hips. Moving my hands up her bare skin, I rest one at the small of her back. The other lingers at her waist. Finding Shakra's face again, I kiss her lips.

She shivers, so I murmur, "Are you cold?"

Shakra smiles while kissing me. "No, it's just that your hands are cold."

"My apologies," I step closer to her, rubbing my 'cold' hands up and down her bare sides, underneath the tunic. "There. I'll try to warm you up." I kiss her again and Shakra kisses me back.

"Shakra," I murmur, only a moment after.

"Yes?" She whispers back, eyes still closed.

"I love you." I stop kissing Shakra, and her eyes open. I look into them, smiling slightly. "I'm sorry I never told you."

Shakra smiles as well. "I love you, too."

I run my hands restlessly up and down her sides. Kissing Shakra again and again, I back her up to the end of my bed. I lower her into it, supporting her with my hands, the one that was resting on her hip now at her back, still kissing her.

Shakra moves backwards laying down on the bed, using her elbows, and I come with her, pushing her head down to the pillow with the pressure of my lips on hers. I kiss her more fiercely now, making up for all the years we both thought we would be scorned by the other. Shakra moans softly and kisses me back just as fierce.

"I forgive you." she says softly in between kisses.

"Good," I reply, just as soft. I kiss her once more and then move to lay next to her.

"I'm sorry, too, for worrying you and killing myself. I really thought Shadow would kill me. Why did he not, what made him soft?" Shakra questions slowly.

"And I forgive you. Shadow did not kill you because of a certain girl. Gwendolyn, someone he saved from... something. He never told me what happened. He only mentioned that she was fragile. And he also said for some reason you reminded him of her.

"And I apologise on behalf of the men. You might've at least told me that they raped you and beat you. I could have helped." I shake my head in disbelief.

Shakra's eyes widen. "They said that they'd raped me?" Her eyes close now. A tear leaks through.

I gather her into my arms and comfort her as best I can. "Did they?" I say softly, not wanting to upset her.

Shakra nods slightly and more tears come.

"Oh, don't cry, please don't cry. You're fine, they can't hurt you anymore." I say this almost inaudibly.

Shakra whimpers and opens her eyes. Her pale green eyes meet my red ones and she says, "Please, Vaati, don't let me go. Ever. You don't know how scared I was when I was there."

"I know, I'm so sorry, if I had showed I cared, you would not have left, they wouldn't have found you, and you'd be fine right now." I close my eyes and pull her closer to me.

I'm almost asleep when she speaks again, "Vaati?"

"Mmm...?" I reply, trying to pay attention.

"When Shadow was about to kill me, and I said he might as well, he hesitated and looked at me with pity, but more with love. You said that I reminded Shadow of her, right?"

I nod.

"Well, do you think that he's falling in love with her? That he didn't kill me because it would be the same as killing her?"

I open my eyes, now fully awake, and say, "That is what I thought. I pressed him on it, but he just said he wasn't falling for her. But," I hesitate.

Shakra looks up at me expectantly.

"But," I sigh. "His eyes said otherwise. If I know Shadow as well as I should, knowing him for so long, I'd say he _is_ falling for her. And I hope he figures it out before we did. Because Gwendolyn cares for him, also."

Shakra continues to look up at me and says, "I could see it in his eyes. He _does_ care for her, he's just been under Zelda for so long that he's put up barriers to shield himself."

I nod, and start to doze off again. Shakra doesn't say anything, and presses herself closer to me. We stay like this for a while, in a comfortable silence, until we both fall asleep.


	14. Chapter 13

Thirteen

"L**et's stop here **for tonight," I say quietly, stopping Arai. Gwendolyn nods and patiently waits for me to help her dismount, silently for once. I always wonder what she's thinking about when she doesn't speak; usually it's nothing good.

She dismounts, and I start to make a small fire, crouching down as I do so.

"Dark?" I hear Gwendolyn ask hesitantly.

I look up at her, "Hmmm?"

"We, need to talk…" she murmurs.

I stand, now worried, and say, "What did I do this time, Gwendolyn?"

"I know how I knew you back in the cave. You killed my mother." Gwendolyn looks up at me, fear and discord in her eyes, as I take a staggering step backwards.

"Gwendolyn, I—" I start.

"No. Don't 'Gwendolyn' me. You killed her." Her eyes flash and she takes a step towards me, poking me hard in the chest. "Why? What did she do, Dark? What made you kill her?"

Taking another step back, my mouth opens wordlessly.

"I'll tell you why. Because you were so intent on gaining your _precious princess's_ approval that you would do anything for her. Including murder an innocent woman." Gwendolyn jabs me in the chest again.

My head drops, I mutter, "How did you know?"

"As soon as I saw Vaati, something clicked, I had seen him before, at my mother's death."

I look up at her, a warning glance, and she adds, "No, he didn't say anything to me, it was, seeing him…."

I nod, and Gwendolyn says, "Please, tell me… tell me how she died."

I nod again, "It was," I exhale and think, "Oh, it had to have been seven years now… I was ten, you eight, and Zelda eleven. A month before, Zelda had told me to go to the village in the north, there were some witches," I lick my lips, "who needed to, to be 'relieved of their evil beings', as she put it. She sent me to gain their trust, as a small boy, and then to burn them." I close my eyes, not being able to bear to look into Gwendolyn's eyes.

I let out a shaky breath and continue, "So I went, and gained their trust, and a month later, Zelda sent her guards to help me in 'disposing' of them. I knew I had to, else risk Zelda's wrath. So I—I tied them up, and… I burned them…. Your aunt, and mother, and your mum said something to me that I'll never forget, "A child who can burn innocent people, including an eight year old girl. Now I know what real witchcraft is." And when I looked at you, trying your hardest to look tough for her, I lost it. I had Vaati take you away, back to your father, anywhere but there.

"I ran, and in the forest, I ran into your father, quite literally. He asked me, his breath smelling of mead, what I had done to you, I had no idea," I shake my head and look down at Gwendolyn. Her tears are staining her cheeks, and I raise my hand to wipe them away, and she flinches from me.

"Gwend—"

"Just," she breathes heavily, crying more, "continue please…"

I nod, "After Zelda caught me, of course I got punished, most of my scars are from that one thing, for pushing her down beforehand, so that Vaati could get you away from there." I shake my head, "I don't know where he sent you, but because you don't remember any of this, he must have erased your memory of the ordeal and told you somehow else your mother died."

Gwendolyn cuts in, "My father always told me my mum died in a storm, that a tree fell on her…"

I look down at her, and she closes her eyes, facing away from me. I reach out to comfort her, but retract my hand, thinking it would only upset her more. "I'm sorry…"

She shakes her head, "Doesn't matter now," she mutters.

I breathe, and start again, "I don't know exactly where Vaati took you, but somehow you ended back at your house…"

Gwendolyn looks over her shoulder at me, then abruptly sits down. Face in her hands, elbows resting on her crossed legs, she whispers, broken, "How could you...?"

I lower myself carefully and slowly next to her, tentatively putting my arm around her shoulders. I'm at a loss for words to say; to comfort her with. "I," I shake my head and try again, "See, when Zel-" Sighing, I run my free hand, my right hand, over my face. "Gwendolyn, I," I stand quickly and begin to pace. "I don't know why I did half the things while under Zelda. I was, competing with Ganondorf, for Zelda's approval. I would do anything for her, but, burning a child, two years younger than me, who had not been able to see the world yet, to grow up and fall in love, was just," I hesitate, struggling with the word, "evil. So I rebelled, almost ending my own life in the process." I stop pacing, now in front of a tree, and hit it hard, with the heel of my hand. I let out an angry yell, and Gwendolyn looks up at me.

"Stop punching things..." she murmurs. "And you should have burned me, I'm too afraid to love now anyways, because of my father!" she snaps at me, suddenly furious.

"Grai'ak, Gwendolyn! Inse anlai! And you stop telling me I should have killed you! Because I should not have then, nor the second time, and I shan't now, okay? I'm sick of you pitying yourself because your mother died! I shouldn't have brought you along, all you've been is trouble, getting kidnapped, and then me having to save your arse. It's keeping me from my main course of, of..." I trail off, because Gwendolyn's eyes close.

She stands and walks over to me, swaying a little, leaning on me for support, yet still facing me, "You, you listen to me, and you listen well. I am not _pitying_ myself when I talk of my mother. And I'm not pitying myself by saying you should have killed me! Because it's true and you kn—" I cut her off with a short scoff before she continues, "—ow it! It would have saved me a lot of pain, a lot of tears, a lot of issues trusting people!"

"You wouldn't be here at all." I growl at her.

"But I wouldn't have all of this past to deal with! I'd be happy, safe!" Gwendolyn looks up at me, her eyes shining with tears.

"You'd be dead!" I yell at her, not bothering to look and see if my comment affected her, I can feel her jump, then tremble next to me.

She whispers, "I know..." before burying her face into my chest and bursting into tears.

I wrap my arms around her, suddenly feeling like a giant jerk for blowing up on her. "I'm sorry, oh gods I'm sorry..." I trail off, knowing words aren't going to help me, or this entire situation, anymore. So instead, I justify it by shushing her, and gently rocking her. I rest my cheek on the top of her head and stand there, in the middle of a forest, consoling a weeping child by firelight.

Eventually I get tired, and she stops crying, so I gently suggest to her that she lay down and sleep.

Gwendolyn nods silently, and allows me to put out a bedroll for her, and she lays down on it. I start to put one on the other side of the fire for me, but Gwendolyn stops me,

"No, I, can you, erm," she stumbles over her words, obviously embarrassed.

I nod and place my bedroll next to hers, settling down near her. "Of course," I say simply.

She scoots closer to me, and I'm at a complete loss. Only half an hour before, this girl was about to rip off my head, and now, she's, moving... closer...? I half shrug and wrap my left arm around her shoulders, and she turns to face me, cuddling up next to my side.

She looks up at me, and me down at her. Gwendolyn starts to say something, but decides against it, and instead closes her eyes.

Slowly, her breathing becomes even and long, and I know she's fallen asleep. I chuckle quietly to myself, at the thought of her livid at me, and yelling, and crying, and now looking at her, peaceful and sleeping, her mouth open ever so slightly, she's adorable. Adorable and small, and I wonder her age. If she was eight, seven years ago, that means, my eyes widen, she's hardly a woman, fifteen years old…


	15. Chapter 14

Fourteen

I **wake up suddenly,** for once dreaming of nothing, and look to see Gwendolyn crouching beside me, her arms around her knees. She's shivering, so I grab a blanket and wrap it around her shoulders.

She looks over at me suddenly, more tears in her eyes, and I carefully wipe them away. "I am sorry…" is all I have to say.

Gwendolyn shakes her head and says, "Let's go, didn't you say you had to go to Zora's Domain?"

I nod and stand, helping her up. Quickly smothering the fire, and gathering our supplies, I tether them onto Arai and Keiken. I look back Gwendolyn and say, "If you think you're better, you can ride on your own horse."

She shakes her head and murmurs, "I feel safer…"

Coughing to cover my smirk, I allow Gwendolyn to mount Arai, and I mount behind her, reaching around her to grasp the reins.

I sigh, and click my tongue at my horse, getting her into a walk.

I murmur, mostly to myself, "Gr'i hy's lo'sa hu'o knu'h w'n wa'e y'oi lo'sa byt?"

Gwendolyn turns her head and looks up at me, confusion clouding her eyes. "What?"

We've been riding from when we left camp till dusk. I start to nod off, each time my cheek coming to rest on the top of Gwendolyn's head.

"I feel sick. Dark, we need to stop for the night, please. In an actual inn." I hear Gwendolyn say to me softly. Even in her voice, I can tell she isn't feeling well.

I sigh softly, resignedly, and say, "Alright, we need to buy supplies as well. The next one we come to, we'll stop for the night."

Gwendolyn nods slightly into my chest, still sitting in front of me. She leans back and sighs, more audibly than me, and closes her eyes.

I start to speak, but decide to allow her to sleep; I'll wake her when we reach the next inn. I suffice to listening to her breathing, it settles me, and the soft sounds of the forest, but I alert when I see light ahead. Reaching a small settlement, I arouse Gwendolyn gently, whispering in her ear a bit. And when that doesn't work, I shake her slightly.

"Gwendolyn, wake up," I murmur in her ear.

"Mmmmm… Whaa?" Gwendolyn stirs.

"We're there," I murmur softly, slowing Arai to a halt and dismounting. I reach back up and bring Gwendolyn down, cradling her to my chest, and I can feel the warmth radiating from her, and I think, _This can't be good._

I walk over to someone wearing a cloak, looking through an open window and ask them, "Pardon me, do you know where the inn is? My friend is sick and we need a room."

The person, I can tell it's a woman now, looks at me and says, "You're Shadow Link, aren't you?"

I start, but nod anyways.

"I'm Casaway, I'm in hiding as well. Being on the run from my father is hard work, him being the Zora King." She smiles and pulls back her hood slightly. I can see the white flesh, and the blue dots around her eyes now, telling me that she really is a Zora, and the distinguished blue blush and blue lips that claim her their princess. Otherwise, she looks like a normal girl, unlike most Zoras.

I smile slightly and say, "Well, it looks like my job is over before I even get to the Domain." I pause before saying, "But, please, an inn? Do you perhaps know where one is?"

"Come with me, I'll lead you to the best one," Princess Casaway brushes her hand down my arm and it's somehow intimate.

She leads me into a tavern, and it smells of ale, pipe weed and sweat. There's a fireplace in the corner, roaring with heat.

Princess Casaway walks confidently up to the barkeep and whispers something to him, sliding him a bag full of Rupees. He nods, and leads her upstairs, to the rooms. She motions for me to follow, I do, and the barkeep hands her the key to a door at the top of the stairs.

"Thank you," she murmurs, and the man leaves.

Princess Casaway unlocks the door and leads me inside, where there are two beds. I sigh my relief at not having to force Gwendolyn to sleep next to me again and lay her on the right hand bed, furthest from the door.

"Thank you, Princess, but you needn't pay for our room. I think I could have handled it." I say quietly, walking over to her.

"Tell me, Shadow, how many Rupees does that bag of yours have in it?" Princess Casaway pauses before adding, "And just call me Casaway, please."

I sigh and say, "Alright… Casaway… And this one here?" I point to the one at my waist, teasingly, because it's the only one I have on me. She nods. "Around five hundred,"

Casaway raises her eyebrows and smirks, lowering her hood. "See what I mean? Not enough."

My eyes widen, both at the sight of her and that my five hundred Rupees weren't enough. The Princess Casaway is beautiful, although not in the same way as Gwendolyn. She's wearing a light blue dress that touches the ground, hides her feet, and its short sleeved. However, she is still wearing gloves to cover her hands, which come up to just above her elbows. Her soft facial features make her look innocent, even though I know she isn't, her goldish brown eyes sparkle with amusement, her lips upturned into a smirk. Casaway's hair is light purple, leaning towards bluish. As I said before, she has blue dots around her eyes confirming she's Zora, and a blue blush to her cheeks and blue lips telling me she's a royal. She clasps her hands in front of her as I ask, "How much…?" I mutter.

"Add about five hundred more to that, not including extra to have the two beds." Casaway says smartly.

The breath in my lungs makes a _hiss_ sound as it escapes my lips, and I say tightly, "We didn't need the two beds."

"No, I suppose you didn't. You'll be coming with me."

My eyes widen again. I knew she was suggestive, just not _this_ suggestive. "I can't, Casaway. Remember?" I point to Gwendolyn, "I have to take care of her. So, if you don't mind me asking, could you please leave?"

Casaway seems flustered, so I propel her out. I guess that's because she's in shock of me rejecting her. Oh well, she'll just have to get used to it, I suppose.

I go over to Gwendolyn and check her forehead: burning up, still. I shut my eyes tight and try to calm myself down, kneeling beside her.

"Gwendolyn…" I murmur, trying to wake her up. When she doesn't stir, I say a little louder, "Gwendolyn, you need to wake up."

She moves her head slightly and opens her eyes a crack. "What is it? Is it morning already?"

I shake my head, "No, it isn't morning; I need to ask you something."

"Can't it wait till morning?" she whispers groggily, and it makes me worry more.

I shake my head again, "No, it can't wait. Did Vaati touch you?"

"What? No…" she knits her brows together.

"Not even a hand on your arm or something?"

"Well," she pauses to lick her lips, "He did put his arm around me for a few seconds. But I pushed him off."

I sigh. "That's it?"

Gwendolyn is silent, thinking, "Yeah, but wait—no, that's not all. After I shrugged him off, he put his arm around me again…." she pauses, and then adds, "But I thought I heard him say this: 'You're his, I have no control over you…' But, it doesn't make any sense…" she drifts off again and I have to shake her awake again.

"Gwendolyn?" I ask.

"Mmmm?" she says, almost in her fevered sleep again.

"I have to go out for some time. I'll try to return when I can."

"…Ohkkayy…" she murmurs and falls asleep.

I stand slowly and try to tell myself she'll be okay. Turning away from her, I take the key that Casaway gave to me and open the door. Taking one last look at Gwendolyn's sleeping body, I walk out and lock the door behind me.

Going down the steps leading to the tavern, I pocket the key. I walk out into the humid summer night and saddle Arai in the stable block, and mount her.

"Let's go, girl. We have to go visit Vaati again." I murmur, and start her out with a quick trot.


	16. Chapter 15

Fifteen

O**nce out of **the village, I kick my horse into a canter, then a gallop, wanting to get to Vaati as soon as I can. Reaching him in about twenty minutes, both my horse and I am covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Allowing Arai to walk, she leads herself onto Vaati's grounds. When we reach about the hammock, I dismount and allow Arai free reign to graze.

Taking quick strides to Vaati's 'house', I don't bother knocking, but instead just open the door, quite loudly, and walk in, yelling, "Vaati, you'd better be awake! And if you're not, you're gonna be!" running into his room, I yell, "Vaati, I have words—for… you…" I look on only to see Vaati and Shakra embraced, but they split apart when they hear me yelling.

I spin around quickly and avert my eyes.

"SHADOW!" Vaati bellows. "What do you think you're doing? Doesn't anyone knock anymore?"

"Vaati put your pants back on!" I yell, "She's supposed to be dead! What is she doing in bed with you?"

"I'm gettin' there, I'm gettin' there." Vaati grumbles. I hear the rustling of fabric and Vaati says, still upset, "Alright, I got pants on."

I start to turn around when Shakra squeaks, "I don't!" Spinning back to face the wall, I ask, "How?"

"I'll explain in a second. What are _you _doing here?" Vaati asks me.

"Alright, I'm decent." Shakra says quietly.

I turn around again and look at her. "I'm sorry, Shakra, I didn't mean to kill you."

She shakes her head. "No, it was my fault. I just—knock next time?"

I nod. "Yes. Definitely. Will do. No problem. It's just, you were supposed to be—dead."

"What are you doing here?" Vaati asks again, this time a bit more forceful.

"Oh. That's right. I'm here to yell at you." I state simply.

"Yell at me? Whatever for?" Vaati seems to be close to laughter.

All of my joking and nonchalant demeanour disappear. My eyes start glowing. "You're killing Gwendolyn. Set her right."

Vaati knits his eyebrows together. "No, no I'm not. I didn't do anything." He seems truly confused.

"Liar." I hiss. "You touched her. I _know_ you did. She told me. What is _wrong_ with you? Don't you know what she means to me?" The words slip out before I have a chance to stop them. A realization hits me, one I didn't even know before saying this. Do _I_ know what she means to me? I hadn't even thought of it. My mouth clamps shut and I stutter, "Uhm… Well, what I mean is… She's important… And, and, a friend, and… Yeah." I rub the back of my neck out of embarrassment. _Why am I so embarrassed? _I think to myself,_ I mean, she's beautiful. And, really funny, and I just can't get enough of that laugh, and when she scrunches her delicate nose when she's looking into the sun… _ I shake my head, clearing it of such thoughts. She's my friend. That's all.

Vaati and Shakra glance over at each other and share a knowing look, and then look back at me. Their look says, 'I told you so.'

I exhale softly in the silence, and say, "So? I know you're killing her. So, set. Her. Right." With every word, I get closer and closer to Vaati. Upon standing about two feet away, I pull back my arm and slap him in the face.

Vaati staggers back and says, "What the hell was that for?" He reaches up and grasps his jaw, making sure I didn't break it.

"You're lying, I know you did something to her." I start to get angry, my eyes flashing dangerously close to red.

Vaati seems to also get angry, and strides over to me. He grabs the front of my tunic and pushes me against the wall. "I told you. I didn't do… any," he takes a breath, "thing…" Vaati's head falls against my shoulder and his grip slackens on my tunic.

"Vaati?" I ask hesitantly, something could be wrong with him, too. When he doesn't answer, I say a little louder and more forcefully, "Vaati."

He mumbles something I can't pick up, even with my sharp elf ears. Suddenly, Vaati's head snaps up and looks at me. "You know you can't do that to me, remember what happened last time? It's just plain luck that I remembered the incantation before I passed out."

My brows knit together. "What are you talking about?" I say, shaking my head slightly.

Vaati backs away from me and goes to sit on his bed, where Shakra still is. She puts her hand on his shoulder in comfort, and somehow it unsettles me.

"Are you okay?" she whispers to him, her eyes show compassion and love.

He nods, and looks at me. "Your power. Last time you made me pass out. I almost died, Shadow, and I thought you learned your lesson. But, no, you continue to try to kill me."

"What? I didn't do anything! I don't even remember that…" I trail off.

"Of course you don't. Master Ezlo wiped your memory." Vaati mutters, seemingly calmed down.

I shake my head again and say, "Well, I don't particularly care right now, Gwendolyn is dying."

Shakra looks up at me and says, "Symptoms?"

"Well, fever, high fever, can't stay awake, doesn't remember much, she's delirious."

"I know what it is," she whispers to Vaati.

"What? What is it?" I yell, trying to get their attention.

"I'd have to see her to be sure."

I gesture to the door behind me impatiently, knowing full well that Gwendolyn is in danger, "Then let's go," I hiss, trying to keep a cap on my anger and impatientness.

"Alright," Vaati slaps his thighs and stands, clearly wanting this over and done with.

"Wait, Vaati, hold on a second, I don't want you to go." Shakra says, looking down at her feet.

Vaati's eyes widen and he says, "What? Why not?"

"Because if what Shadow says is true, then this is a woman thing…" she trails off slowly.

"I'm not letting you go by yourself, no matter what it is." Vaati shakes his head stubbornly, and doesn't sit down.

Shakra rolls her eyes. "Fine. I guess I don't have to go, since I'm _pretty_ sure I know what it is."

My eyes widen, and I say, "But what if you're wrong?"

"I'm not. You're going to have to trust me." she leads me away from Vaati to whisper, "When you get back, give her a small glass of brandy, that sometimes helps, and rub her lower back. A soft word doesn't always hurt either." Shakra raises her eyebrow, awaiting my reply. I nod, and say,

"Thanks. I'd better get back to her." I raise my voice, "You two can get back to whatever you were doing…" I take one look at Vaati and turn around, walking out, closing the door behind me. Once I'm out in the hall, I pick up my pace and shudder at the thought, any thought really. I have to hurry back to Gwendolyn.

Reaching the chilly air of the night, I breathe deeply, watching as my breath pillows in front of my face, and I reach Arai.


	17. Chapter 16

Sixteen

I **quickly ride back** to the tavern. After requesting a small glass of brandy, I bound up the stairs with it, careful to not to spill any. I unlock the door and creep inside, not wanting to wake Gwendolyn. But it's too late, she's awake and shivering, I can see her body shaking through all the covers she has on.

"Gwendolyn? I have something for you." I say quietly.

"I don't want it." comes her hoarse reply.

I stride to her side and pull the blankets from her face. "It's brandy. Drink it, it'll make you feel better."

She shakes her head and looks up at me, "I'm so cold, Dark…" she trails off.

I sigh and put the glass on the table, placing my hand on her forehead. I barely have to, because she's burning. "Gwendolyn, I think you have a fever." I crouch down, "Are you sure you're okay?"

She shakes her head, "I'm not, just go away and leave me to die alone," A lone tear escapes her eye and runs towards her hair. She shakes again and I walk around the bed to her back, and sit down on top of the covers. I swing my legs onto the covers and lay down next to her, letting the thick blankets provide a barrier between us. She's curled on her side, so I reach out my hand and put it on her middle, pulling her towards me.

"I'm not going to just let you die alone," I murmur and start gently making circles in her back with my thumbs.

She lets out a small sigh and seemingly reluctantly says, "Could you come under the blankets? I'm so cold,"

I nod lightly to myself and stand up again. Removing everything except my trousers, I pull down the blankets and slide under them with her. Putting my hands on her back again, I move them in circles. Remembering what Shakra said, I move lower to the small of her back. Gwendolyn arches her back slightly and settles closer to me, I can feel the heat radiating off of her. After some time, she relaxes completely and breathes a sigh of relief.

"That's much better, you can stop now." she whispers, cuddling closer to me.

I start sweating, not only from the ride back from Vaati's, but from the mound of blankets and Gwendolyn's body heat.

Over a while, Gwendolyn's breathing gets a little easier and I start to doze off.

_I stand and watch as the woman's sister burns. She refused the cloth to cover her eyes, and now has to watch everyone's agonising stares and tears. Her sister, the next in line, screams and runs after her kin, into the fire. They say if you're a real witch, you won't feel the flames, only die slowly, screaming to put on a show. That you'll just burn, it'll show but you won't feel it._

_"Get her out of there!" I bark at one of my guards. The one to the left of me springs into action and pulls the poor woman out of the fire, and holds her in place._

_The sister isn't burning fast enough, I think to myself. "Build another pyre!" I yell, and half a dozen guards start gathering more wood. I take the woman into my own ten year old hands and bind her hands and feet, lashing them to the square wooden pole._

_"Would _you_ like a blindfold?" I ask, trying my best to keep a serious face._

_The woman spits in my face and says, "A child who can burn innocent people, including an eight year old girl. Now I know what real witchcraft is."_

_I take this as a no, wipe my cheek off with the sleeve of my tunic, and call for a guard to take the woman while I keep watch over the girl. They surround the woman with the wood and light it, the woman's eyes getting larger as the flames get closer to her skirt. They catch and the woman starts to scream, the smell of burning flesh reaching my nose and the sounds of sobbing reaching my ears._

_I look down at the girl I'm holding and she's trying to keep a good face for her mother, trying not to show her fear, but she just can't. She screams and tries the same thing her mother did with her sister, but I hold her back and think on what the mother said to me._

_A thought occurs to me, I can't burn this child. Looking around for my companion, the greyish blue skinned Minish, Vaati. Seeing him sulking in a corner, I call out to him._

_He comes over to me and asks roughly, "What? Why did you even make me come. I'm not doing anything."_

_"You will in a second. Here," I hand him the girl, "take her, hide her, something. Give her back to her family."_

_Vaati's eyes widen and he says, "But that's defying Zelda."_

_"I know." I say simply._

_Vaati smiles a twisted smile and turns around, right into Zelda. "Going somewhere?" she asks._

I sit straight up, gasping for air. I'm sweating madly, so I stand. My ears prick for the sound of Gwendolyn's breathing. I hear it, but also someone else's.

I grab the knife I set on the nightstand and strain my eyes and ears, "Who's there?" I ask sharply.

"Calm down, Shadow. It's just Shakra and I." Vaati materialises as Shakra lights a candle.

"Why didn't you just wake me?" I ask, now agitated.

It's Shakra who answers me, "We didn't expect to be here long. Only administer and leave."

"Administer what?" I ask hesitantly.

"A potion," Vaati says simply.

"Potion...? Why? Shakra said Gwendolyn would be fine..."

Shakra shifts from one foot to the other, "Well, after I thought about it for a while, I decided that I may be wrong, and that we should come and check. And I was right."

"So she's fine?" I ask.

"Um, no, I meant I was right about being wrong." Shakra says, making me confused.

"Just be glad we're here, else she," he motions to Gwendolyn, "would have died. See, she had a mutated form of a fever, it's really quite rare. She gets way overheated, so much that her br—"

Shakra cuts Vaati off with a sharp word, "You're just worrying him. It's over, she's going to be fine now. Vaati, give her the potion." She sighs and rolls her eyes in my direction.

A ghost of a smile hints on my lips and I say, "But, if she was overheating, and I could tell, why did she feel cold?"

Vaati leans over the sleeping form of Gwendolyn and he says, "Well, that I can't tell you, but I believe that someone put a spell on her, or slipped something into her drink to make her mind hallucinate being cold. So she would pile on the blankets and overheat that much faster…." He opens Gwendolyn's mouth and drips in the potion.

Almost immediately, Gwendolyn's breathing gets easier, and Vaati steps back, admiring his work.

Knowing that Gwendolyn is now going to be okay, I grab my key and rush out of the room, yelling behind me, "I'll be right back!"

I rush downstairs and ask the barkeep, "Where is the girl who paid for my room?"

"Up the stairs, second door on the left," he says, and I rush back upstairs.

Barreling back up the stairs, I pound on the door, second on the left.

"What? What do you want?" Casaway yells and opens the door, almost causing me to hit her in the face.

She's rubbing sleep from her eyes as I say, "What did you do to Gwendolyn?"

"What did I do to her?" Casaway pouts, "I paid for your room, why would I do anything to her?"

I shove past her into her room and start pacing. "I don't know, but I know you did something to her."

"What, just like you thought that Vaati did something to her?" Casaway smirks.

"How do you know about that?" I snap.

Casaway picks at her fingernails, "I have my sources. Now I suggest you go back to your room before I call the barkeep up here."

I don't bother replying, just turn on my heel and leave her room, looking behind me as I do. She's got the oddest smirk on her face…


	18. Chapter 17

Seventeen

I**n the morning, **I get up and groggily make my way over to the wash basin to wake myself up. I splash the water on my face and say, "Gwendolyn, I hope you're feeling better, I'm going to get something to eat, and I'll bring some up for you in a bit."

She doesn't reply, and I just assume that it's because she's still asleep. Grabbing my key, I open the door and walk down the hall, down the stairs, and into the tavern.

"Food, anything, please." I say, barely making a coherent sentence. _Last night was _not_ good for anyone…_ I think to myself, rubbing my face, trying to keep awake, even after splashing my face.

"Here," a female voice says quietly, bringing me out of my sleep-stupor.

"Oh, thank you…" I reply, taking the platter. On it is a bowl of porridge, a mug of Lon-Lon milk, and an apple.

Taking a sip of the milk, I feel immediately better. I take the rest up to Gwendolyn and I's room, because she needs it more than I.

Reaching the top of the stairs, I see that the door to Casaway's room is open, and the room empty.

"Must have cleared out this morn…" I murmur softly, pushing my way into her room. After a quick look around, I turn around and walk back out, almost spilling the milk in the process.

Unlocking the door, I stoop down to open it with the tray in my hands, and push it open.

The tray hardly makes a sound to my ears as it hits the ground, my eyes scanning the room one last time before falling to rest on Casaway.

Stepping over the mess that was breakfast, I demand, "Where is she, what did you _do_ to her, Casaway!"

The Zora shrugs nonchalantly, looking once again at her nails. "How should I know? I came here looking for you." She looks up at me and walks seductively towards me.

When she reaches me, I take a step back, putting my heel on the china and cracking it more. "Stay away from me, Casaway, I know you did something with her." I point a finger in her chest, "You tell," another jab, "me where," and again, "Gwendolyn is, now, or so help me, Casaway…" I trail off, leaving her to imagine what I'd do.

Casaway pouts, and says, "You'll do what? Poke me again? Personally, it's kind of a come on." She looks up at me and grins. "I don't know where they took her," Casaway winks, "and if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

Not leaving me any time to react, Casaway leans up and kisses me, lips on lips. She entwines her arms around my neck and drapes them there.

I kiss her back, not thinking I have much of a choice, wrapping my arms around her waist. Casaway presses into me more, causing me to either back up into the wall or press back against her. I go with the latter, caught up in the moment.

Her kisses become more frantic, and my grip on her hips becomes rougher, and the more we push and pull, the fiercer Casaway's kisser get.

I pull away, turning my face away as well. Dropping my hands, I say, "What do you want, Casaway? I know you have her. Tell me where she is and this will be much easier."

Casaway shrugs, "I don't know, but I will help you find her."

I sigh and walk away, gathering my supplies and getting ready to leave. "No, Casaway, and I'm not sorry." I look at her one last time before exiting the room, "Good bye…"

Turning away, I walk through the room, picking up my effects on the way out, and head downstairs and outside, determined to find Gwendolyn. Whistling softly on my way to the stable block, I turn quickly and run head on into someone.

They jump, and I murmur, "Sorry," before heading in the direction I was going. Saying nothing, the person shrugs and walks again.

Pocketing the extra Rupee's I've just acquired, I saddle Arai and kick her into a trot, wondering where I'm going to look for Gwendolyn. Arai quickly turns east, over the river, and back into where Vaati's camp is. I sigh, and start her in that direction, thinking, _This is going to be fun…_


	19. Chapter 18

Eighteen

_A__**t least it's **__midday this time…_ I think, leading Arai into Vaati's camp. "Vaa—"

"I'm here, what now, Shadow?" Vaati comes walking out of the ruins, with Shakra's hand in his own.

"Gwendolyn. Missing and help she's need I your." I say in a panic.

"Slow down, Shadow, say it again." Shakra says softly.

I breathe, and start again, "She's missing, and I need your help." Vaati gives me a look, so I add, "Please," hurriedly.

Vaati nods, "I will, so long as you don't accuse me of doing something to her again."

Shakra subconsciously shifts her weight so that she's leaning more towards Vaati, and I get the awkward jealous feeling in the pit of my stomach, but again shake it off into nothing.

"You okay, Shadow? You look, I don't know, not you…" Shakra says slowly.

I knit my eyebrows together, "Huh…? Oh, I'm fine, just, worried is all."

Vaati nods and murmurs something like, "I would be too…" he pauses, then goes on, "I'll do my best, Shadow."

Nodding quickly, I rub my hand over my face, yawning loudly.

"You need sleep, Shadow, c'mon…" Shakra says softly, releasing Vaati's hand and leading me inside.

I stop, shake my head, and say, "No, I'll just stay where Gwendolyn and I did last time,"

Shakra looks at me, and gives a questioning look. "The hammock?" She laughs, a pure sound, and goes on, "Why? It's cold out, and that old thing is so uncomfortable…!"

I sigh, "Yes, but still, the hammock is fine, I'm hoping to be here only a short while. I don't think I'll be able to sleep anyways."

Shakra shrugs, "Okay, suit yourself."

"Shakra, c'mere, I need your help!" Vaati says from inside his house.

"Coming, dear!" She smiles apologetically at me, inclining her head, and turns on her heel.

"Thank you…!" I call after her. I sigh again, then make my way over to the 'old hammock', as Shakra called it. Sitting down, I remember—no. I don't remember it, I refuse to remember it. I lean my head back and lay down, settling into the coarse rope. I fall asleep almost instantly, exhausted from riding almost all day.

_Vaati stares up at Zelda stubbornly, the child still in his grasp. He bows quickly. "Highness,"_

_ I push Zelda down, looking at Vaati once before he teleports out, taking the girl with him._

_ Meanwhile, while Zelda is on the ground, and the guards are stunned by my shoving her, I take off, sprinting in any way I can, weaving though the people and mourning citizens. It doesn't take long for one of Zelda's guards to catch me, throwing me on the ground. "Where did the purple boy go?" he growls in my ear._

_ "He's," I struggle, "not purple…. He's—urg—slate blue…! And I don't know, he didn't bother to," I reach around to the guards head and yank it around, the big man going limp around me. I shove him off and stand. "tell me." I spit on him, and __continue to run, too afraid of what Zelda will do to me if I stop. _

_ Reaching the edge of the village, I run into the forest, and __I start to slow, thinking that the guards have given up at the edge of the forest. My hands are sweaty and shaking. I look over my shoulder to make sure the guards left, exhaling in a sigh as I see they aren't behind me. I turn around quickly to keep moving, and I run into something. Carefully I look up, and a man is looming above me, his breath smelling like mead. _

_ "What have you done?" he yells at me, "You've killed her! What did you do with my daughter?"_

_ I back up a step, now terrified of the man, and stutter, "I, I don't know, what you're talking a-about… I did nothing, with—with your daughter… Vaa—" I stumble and fall backwards as the man pushes me. _

_ Sitting with my hands in the dirt, palm cut by an upturned root, I try to move away from the man, but get stopped by another's legs, and a skirt. I peer up at Zelda, and fearfully meet her gaze. She meets me with a look of vile disgust, and just pulls me up, as roughly as she can muster._

_ "Look at me!" she yells roughly, jerking my chin to her level. "I have someone new for you to meet."_

_ Out of the shadows walks a man, boy, perhaps fifteen years old, auburn hair, deep set eyes, thick neck, broad shoulders, overall beefy._

_ Zelda releases me and turns to him, "Ganondorf."_

"Shadow!" Vaati barks at me, waking me quickly, making me get twisted up in the hammock and it flips, tumbling me to the ground, a second time.

"What." I snap up at him, glaring.

"I know where she is, Shadow." He sounds out of breath, like he rushed over to tell me.

I raise my eyebrows, stand slowly as to not get lightheaded, and say, "Oh? Where?"

"In the ghost town, south of a little town west of the river."

"West of the river? Little town?" I echo. Running my hand over my face, I say, "We just stayed there last night… I've backtracked."

"You know I can get you there faster, Shadow…" Vaati murmurs.

I raise my eyebrow, then say, "Teleportation, of course. Where's your portal?"

All Vaati does is point, then walks away saying, "You know how to use it…. Good luck, Shadow, don't be too upset at what you might see."

I knit my eyebrows together in confusion, wondering what he means, and start to say something, but think better of it, knowing that he won't tell me anyways.

I mount Arai, not needing to tether Keiken to her, nor load all of my equipment; I hadn't bothered to unload it. Gently nudging her flanks to get her walking.

Vaati waves his arm above his head, still walking away, and turns on the portal. I don't bother to say anything, don't bother to flinch, when I ride through the portal.


	20. Chapter 19

Nineteen

L**anding near the **town Gwendolyn and I stayed at the night before, I turn Arai to face southward and sigh, starting on my way to the ghost town, praying that I'll find Gwendolyn there.

I follow Shadow Link out of the tavern, quietly as to not be heard, and follow him to the Minish Vaati's encampment, where I am surprised to see Shakra, alive and well, carrying herself differently. I laugh quietly to myself, then settle myself down behind a tree to wait for Shadow to leave.

About a half hour later, I hear the yell of a Minish, bringing news about something to Shadow. I sneak a little closer to easier listen to what they're talking about, and I hear snippets of their conversation, "…ghost town… teleportation… get there faster…"

I gasp and run away quickly, into the direction of the river.

I jump in quickly, ignoring the cold, and head south, knowing full well that I can get to Gwendolyn and move her before Shadow will ever know she was there.

Swimming quickly, I reach the ghost town in little over fifteen minutes. Clambering out of the water, my hired help jog over to me and say, "We have done what you have asked."

I nod, "But you haven't killed her, have you? Because if you have…" I trail off, allowing their imaginations to finish my sentence.

"N-no, your highness, of course not, we would never, go above you…" the man stutters, and bows.

_Spineless fool,_ I think to myself, brushing past him. "Good."

I waltz into the first house on my right, humming a small melody as I do so. My lips upturn into a sly smile when I see the sad state Gwendolyn is in, no longer tied up, but sitting at a desk, writing something. When she hears me humming, she freezes, and quickly crumples up the paper and moves her hands off the desk, releasing her fists, the page falling to the ground.

I grin at her attempt at concealing her most likely letter to Shadow, and place my hand on her shoulder.

Gwendolyn flinches violently away from me, so I say, "I'm not here to harm you, I'm here to move you."

When she speaks, her voice is cracked and whispery from disuse and screaming, "M-move me…? Why is that?"

I hesitate, "Complications unforeseen." I say simply.

"Because Dark found where you hid me." She seems so matter-of-fact, so sure of herself that Shadow is going to find her, going to save her, that I laugh, humourlessly.

"Stand up, chit." I say harshly.

"'Chit'?" she echoes, "You are younger than I, Casaway."

I start, angry now, and smack her face with the back of my hand, "I am Princess of the Zora's, and you shall address me as such!"

Gwendolyn flinches away and mutters, "'Princess of the Zora's' seems a bit long…"

I yell and grab the closest thing to me, whipping it around to hit her with it. Meeting her side, she stumbles and falls over, almost unconscious. "We're going," I growl at her.

Snapping my fingers at a 'guard', I tell him, "Take her to the place we discussed and hand her off to them. They will pay you sufficiently."

The man nods and moves over to Gwendolyn. He roughly picks her up and basically flings her over his shoulder. I smile, knowing that the people I've hired have done well with what I asked.

They all mount their horses and start out, heading south. I mutter an enchantment to cover their tracks, and listen around for different hooves, hooves of Shadow's black mare.

Hearing them, I swivel my head in that direction. Seeing them, I hightail my way out of there, heading where I know best: Zora's Domain.

I enter the ghost town carefully, knowing all too well that Casaway could be there.

After looking around a bit, I discern that there's no one home, quite literally. I can't find Gwendolyn, and Casaway seems to have disappeared entirely.

"Damn." I mutter under my breath, walking into the last building on the left, coming out of the town. I stop suddenly, now seeing the bindings, the instruments of torment, the, table…? My glance stops at the roughly hewn table and chair, and the ink bottle and quill resting on top of it. I walk over to investigate it, touching the nib of the quill, I find that it's still moist, and pulling my hand away, still full with ink; the pen was put down hurriedly.

I fall to my hands and knees looking for a crumpled up paper, a leaf of paper, something that had been written on. I exhale, afraid to find anything, and yet still more afraid to find nothing. My breath dislodges a slip of crumbled paper from a crack in the stone, making it shiver. Reaching under the desk, I pull out the page and straighten back up.

Grimacing, I sit down where Gwendolyn had most likely been, and hold my breath as I carefully unwrap the parchment. It reads:

_'Dear Dark,_

_I sit here at this table, barely able to write, but I have been left alone for a moments respite from the beating a—'_

A few words are blotted out here, from her tears or purposely smudging the words. I read on;

_'I am not sure if I will survive this, they've been talking about moving me somewhere different, before their mistress comes back. They say they like me too much to give me up, and I shudder at the thought.—'_

More words are smeared beyond reading, but I know these are from tears, for she says,

_'My crying has washed away some of the lettering, but I suppose it really doesn't matter. I'm about to be washed away too, if this continues. I shall take my own life if necessary, although I do not know how...'_

The ink is spread across the rest of the page in surprise, soaked into the thick paper to the other side.

The ink being fresh, still moist to the touch, I know that the letter was written only an hour or so before.

"Dammit!" I yell, standing quickly and toppling the chair, it getting tangled in my legs.

I throw out a hoarse scream and lunge at the chair, picking it up and chucking it at the closest wall. It splinters into pieces, and an agonised yell rips from my lips. I fall to my knees and my whole being shakes from anger.

After a while I stand, still too furious to hardly think straight, and leave, the crumpled up note still clenched in my fist.

_I will find you, Casaway..._ I thought to myself as I mounted Arai, heading southward, hoping to find help from the Zora's. 


	21. Chapter 20

Twenty

I**t took me **three days to get to where I am, and I still can't remember how to get into the Domain. I searched till my eyes had gone blurry, but still no sign.

Tonight as I make my fire, Arai lays down next to me and prods my shoulder with her soft muzzle, trying to force me to search more. "Arai, I can't, it's dark out."

Still she persists, and I just pet her nose, leaning against her. "Sleep now, search in the morn." I close my eyes and breathe easy, trying to rest.

In the morning, I gather up my supplies and mount Arai, ready for another useless day searching. About an hour into the afternoon however, someone calls out to me.

"Dark Link, over here!"

At first I think it's the mailman, and I groan, turning that direction. But what confronts me is a Zora, one of the water peoples.

I nod, implying her to go on, "I am Ralu, but that is beyond the point."

Staying silent, I shift uncomfortably in my saddle, antsy to get on with searching for Gwendolyn.

"And the point?" I ask hesitantly.

Ralu nods, "I think Casaway is holding someone of yours, she mentioned your name and," the Zora thinks, "Gwendolyn I think it was, when she turned up a few days ago." she hesitates, and my eyes widen.

"Is she alright? Where is she?" my voice climbs to a near yell, and my grip on the reins tightens. Arai notices and jumps around a little, uncomfortable with the missing slack in the leather.

The Zora nods her head downriver, towards Zora's Domain. "She is in our domain, in the place of our king, Rolas, Casaway's elder cousin."

"I shall go to her, would you like a ride, or do you prefer the river?" I decide to be pleasant, no matter whether I'm impatient as to just leave her here, and go to Gwendolyn.  
>But Ralu shakes her head anyways, "I'll go the river route, it's faster for me."<p>

I nod sharply and pull on Arai's reins, kicking her into a near canter, heading downriver to the Domain.

When I get there, I go straight to Rolas' quarters and practically kick open the door in my haste. Seeing me enter, Rolas jumps up from his throne in surprise. I quickly bow and murmur, "My lord,"

Rolas walks over to me and says, "And whom might this be?" he's ever so regal and polite, going by the old ways of his race.

I open my mouth to speak, when someone yells, "Shadow! What are you doing here?"

I spin on my heel and face her, "You know very well what I'm doing here. Gwendolyn is here, Casaway." I spit the name, my anger growing.

She feigns innocence, "But Gwendolyn is not here, you still haven't found her?" Casaway covers her mouth with the tips of her first three fingers and laughs nervously.

"Gev nairath," I say, reverting back to the language of the Dark Nymphs, the otherworlders.

She gasps, and says sharply, "Careful with your tongue, Shadow, more than just you know and remember the old languages."

A scowl on my face, I say, "Gu'hhth ti'il ca'ro pe'fna ul e'llm? Ha'ma s'ip Gwendolyn?"

(A/N: he says: "does it look like i care? Where's Gwendolyn?")

"Well, obviously you do not care for the pain you are putting my cousin's ears through. I know not of where she is, nor may be." Casaway pouts, "Why must you blame this on me?"

I advance onto her and she backs into a wall, "Because you tried to have her killed with your witch magic!" I bellow at her, infuriated.

"You're the one speaking Old Tongue at me. I would call you the witch."

"God dammit, Casaway, you tell me now, or so help me I will torture you until your brains fall out!"

"And if my brains fell out, how would you know where she was?" Casaway flutters her eyelashes, attempting to look innocent.

I raise my arm back to strike her, when Rolas yells, "Enough, both of you! Get out of my hall!"

I look over at him, my fist still raised. "My lord," I start to say.

"Dark Link! Stop! I know where she is, if you will only follow me." Ralu is back, and as helpful as ever.

I drop my fist and ask anyone, "Some rope to bind her, please?"

Rolas shakes his head, "The Princess Casaway is royalty and shall be treated as such. She shan't be bound."

I roll my eyes inwardly and say, "Yes, my lord, of course, my lord."

"Follow me, please!" Ralu says again, making my head snap in her direction.

I nod and grab Casaway's arm, pushing her in front of me. I follow Ralu out of the throne room and into a hallway, and watch her disappear down some stairs. I look behind me and see that Rolas has expressed some interest in the matter, and is following us.

I turn and go down the stairs, following Ralu into the dark depths.

At the bottom of the stairs, Casaway stumbles, but I just push her forward, holding her shoulders roughly.

Ralu turns right at the bottom and I follow, again looking behind for Rolas. He's still there, tripping a bit in the dark.

The deeper we go, the more nervous Casaway gets, and by the third turn, I can physically feel her tremble.

"Scared?" I whisper in her ear.

She shakes her head slightly, "It-it's cold, and dark..."

Casaway tries to explain her shaking with being frightened of the dark.

I scoff and turn left again, running head on into Casaway, who had run into Ralu. I had been too preoccupied with scaring her more to pay attention to Ralu's light source ahead of us.

"We're here," Ralu mutters, facing an ancient looking door.

I hand Casaway off to Ralu, knowing full well that she won't let her escape. Casaway struggles a bit, but I grasp her jaw hard and say to her, "I will kill you if she's dead. I swear to the gods." My eyes flash red, making the darkness seem more ominous. I blink once and they're back to normal, but not for long, I know.

I turn and look back at Rolas, he flinches when he sees the expression on my face. I shrug; at least now he knows I'm serious.

Facing the door, I steel myself for what may lie inside, and place my hand on the lever. I hesitate only a moment before putting pressure on the handle and pushing the door in. I swallow and step inside, allowing my eyes to adjust to the sudden light. The door closes behind me with a loud sound and I jump slightly, not expecting it.

A voice comes out from behind the shadows of the once open door, "A new toy to play with, and fresh by the looks of him. We'll have fun with this one..."


	22. Chapter 21

Twenty-one

T**he man connected **to the voice steps out from the shadows, eyebrows raised and mouth curved up into a twisted smile. "Bind him, boys, and string him up next to the bitch."

My eyes flash red again, but this time stay that way. Grasping the handle of my sword with nimble fingers, I unsheathe it and swing it at the nearest man in one lithe stroke. He yells and falls to the ground, crimson blood pouring out from his wounds.

The second man grasps a Pamkayrd and lashes it out at me, Gwendolyn moaning and struggling against her bindings, terrified of the device.

I deftly swing my sword at the Pamkayrd and knock it out of the man's hand, where it clatters to the ground, out of harm and out of reach. I slash the man across the chest, digging my blade deeply into his flesh. He yells and falls to the ground, presumably either dead or unconscious.

Looking around for more, I quickly find there are none, and drop my sword, rushing over to Gwendolyn.

Gently I pull her up, releasing the pressure on her most likely broken wrists, being careful with... well with everything. She's in terrible shape.

After I release her wrists from the coarse rope that had her hung from the ceiling, I gently lay her on the ground, swiftly going over to the door and ripping it open.

I stride over to Casaway and slap her, achieving a short gasp from both her and King Rolas. "You will pay for what you did to her."

"What _I_ did to her? I did nothing to the who—child." Casaway shakes her head and murmurs, "Why did you slap me?"

"I was wondering the same thing." Rolas cuts in, rather rudely I may add.

I growl and turn to him, saying, "This is why."

I stalk back into the chamber and carefully pick up Gwendolyn. She utters a cracked moan and stays limp, a sign that she's almost dead. She can hardly open her eyes. "Hold on Gwendolyn..." I murmur, willing her to stay with me.

Walking back out to where the three Zora's are, I glare at Casaway, give a short nod of thanks to Ralu, and say to Rolas, "This is what your cousin and her paid men did to Gwendolyn."

Not waiting for a reply, I take quick, even steps to reach the stairs, then ascend. Once I reach the top, and the lightly lit corridor, I can see the full extent to Gwendolyn's injuries.

She's bleeding profusely, from almost everywhere. Her wrists are bruised and bloodied from her bindings, her arms covered with small lacerations. I'm sure one or both of her shoulders are dislocated, hoping for one but betting on both. Her entire torso is covered with blood, so much blood that it is seeping into my tunic, touching my chain mail, sinking to my chest. I swallow hard, the stench of blood almost overbearing. By just holding her I can tell she's hardly one hundred pounds, probably less. One of her ribs is broken to the point of cracking through flesh, and I wince. It's awful just to see, I fear for her being able to live. Her legs are bruised almost completely black, some of it turning green. Feet being cracked and bloody, I can only guess she tried to run at least once, and scrambled around when she was bound from the ceiling. I don't even want to look at her back, thankful for holding her right now. She's completely naked, and that only means one thing: rape. Closing my eyes briefly, I wonder what she did to deserve this. Nothing, that's what. Some selfish, jealous princess used to getting everything saw Gwendolyn as an obstacle to get to me.

I open my eyes to see a nurse running towards me, her eyes wide. "What... what happened?" she stutters, skidding to a halt, already examining Gwendolyn's body. "Follow me, quickly!"

I turn in the direction she returns to, and yell, "Someone take guard of Casaway, please!" My voice has enough urgency and is caught with something resembling absolute terror and malice that three guards rush to the stairs and clamber down them, awestruck and silent.

"D-Da...Dark..." I hear the sound, barely a sound at all, come from the near dead girl in my arms. I look down at her and she's got here eyes opened slightly, and when mine come into contact with hers, her eyes open more and I can see the torment.

My grip on Gwendolyn increases slightly, causing her to wince a little, and I flinch also, not being able to imagine what sort of pain she's in. "Gwendolyn..." I breathe, almost as quiet, "I'm sorry. I should have found you sooner..."

Gwendolyn shakes her head almost imperceptibly and says carefully, "I knew y-you would come..." her eyes slowly close again and I start panicking slightly.

"Gwendolyn, Gwendolyn, hey, no you have to stay awake, please you can't die." my pace quickens to that of the Zoran nurse and as we turn another corner, she strides ahead and opens a large door.

I nod my thanks quickly, and make my way inside, knowing it is the infirmary.

Three Zora's gasp at me and rush over, trying to take the girl from my arms. I just shake my head, "No, I'm not letting her go, any hand off could be the death of her."

They seem to understand me, for they back away a few steps and lead me to a private chambers, away from prying eyes.

I gently lay her on the pristine white sheets, immediately getting them soaked with Gwendolyn's blood. A moan escapes her cracked lips and I gently place my hand on her forehead. "You'll be okay, I'll make sure of that."

"You need to leave so we can start healing her, please, wait outside." a nurse says to me, softly as to not startle me.

I sigh and turn to her, "I stay."

The nurse tries to protest, but seeing my expression, swallows and says, "Yes, sir..."

I nod quickly and turn back to face Gwendolyn, requesting a pail of clean water and a cloth. One of the nurses scurries off and returns with what I asked, looking at me oddly. I give her a look that tells her to go away, and take the cloth, dipping it into the water and squeezing out the excess.

I work slowly, starting at her feet and just working on the top of her; I'll turn her over all at once. Gently cleansing her body, I hear the small whimpers emanating from her throat. I bite my lip and say to her, "You're alright now, I've got you..." I can't keep the tremble from my voice, and Gwendolyn knits her eyebrows together.

"I-" she tries to speak, but her voice is so cracked she can't hardly get a whisper out.

I soothe her and keep working, approaching her stomach, the worst of it. I rinse off the cloth in a different pail, soaking it again in the clean water. Something continually bumps my chest as I lean over Gwendolyn, so I look down at it.

A yell of surprise escapes my lips as I tear the flask off of my neck; the fairy's blessed water. I unstop it and hold up Gwendolyn's head, speaking to her softly, "Gwendolyn, drink this please, it's the blessed water."

Gwendolyn shakes her head and sets her jaw. "I want to heal normally... please."

I sigh heavily, knowing full well that I'll have to go against her consent to give her it, I can't watch her suffer more. "Gwendolyn please..."

Still she shakes her head, so I try a different tactic. "F-for me, darling, I don't really want to watch you die..."

After my statement she complies, opening her mouth slightly. I gently pour in half of what's left in the flask and she swallows hard, wincing slightly.

I look up and down her body, watching for some sign of healing. Gwendolyn moans and grasps the sheets hard, her knuckles turning white. I see the broken through rib place itself back onto her chest, and the skin heal around it, I know that it's worked. I hear the bones in both her wrists snap back together, and Gwendolyn lets out a small sigh of relief. Her shoulder's pop back in place, and I'm sure a lot of the worst on her back has healed, if not all then partially.

I breathe a sigh of relief and slump down in the stool at her bedside, glancing at Gwendolyn every so often. When the potion's finished its work, I start again with the cloth, now clean. Not all of her wounds are healed, but the worst are almost completely healed over.

"D-Dark, water please..." Gwendolyn utters softly, her voice still gone.

I drop the cloth into the clean water and turn to one of the nurses, "She wants some water, what are you standing around looking at?" The words slip from my tongue without much thought, and I almost flinch, taking them back.

The nurse just nods and rushes out, coming back quickly with water. She pushes the glass into my hand and I nod my thanks, turning back to Gwendolyn.

I put my arm around her shoulders carefully, knowing them and her back were still bad. Supporting her with tat arm, I hold the glass with the other.

Gwendolyn's eyebrows knit together and she mutters, "I can do it myself, Dark."

I sigh, "You never learn, do you?" I slowly hand her the glass and she takes it in both hands, hardly able to hold it. With shaky hands, Gwendolyn pulls the glass to her mouth, pressing it to her lips carefully. She takes a sip, only to cough and sputter, and I quickly take the water from her.

Sighing again, I set the glass on the floor, careful not to spill anymore. "Breathe, Gwendolyn..." I say softly.

"Easy for you to say..." She's now coughing as well as whispering, and I don't think the cough is just from the water. Gwendolyn leans over and throws up, luckily into the dirty water bucket.

"Your hair has gotten longer," I say as I hold her red locks away from her face. Gwendolyn leans back against the blankets, wiping her mouth and glaring at me. "What, I just said... Oh never mind." I take a clean, cool cloth and drape it over her forehead to help cool her down.

Her breathing gets laboured, and I look at her worriedly. "I'm... fine..." she utters through her teeth.

"Fine my arse..." I set to work cleansing her again, more cautious now that Gwendolyn can complain. I hit a particularly bad spot, where the rib had broken through flesh, and Gwendolyn cries out, her hands gripping the fabric of the bed. I shush her gently and work all of the caked blood off of her front side.

I lean back some, looking at Gwendolyn. "I need to turn you."

She shakes her head fearfully, and I sigh, thinking, I knew she would do this. "Gwendolyn, if I don't clean you and get the dried blood off, your flesh will stick to your sheets and it'll be more painful.

With or without her consent I have to help her. Moving towards the undersides of her knees and her shoulders, I get stopped. "At least, when you do, don't... don't... just," she sighs and screws her eyes shut, "Just do it."

I sigh, now feeling slightly bad, and continue placing my arms at the crook of her knees and her shoulders. I gently pick her up and place her onto a clean bed, rolling her onto her stomach, trying to ignore her flinches.

A slow expulsion of air escapes my lips in a hiss when I see her back and shoulders. I spin around and hit the wall, making a sizeable hole. "Dammit, I'll kill that bitch."

"Dark... don't, she's mine." As soon as the words leave Gwendolyn's lips, I spin back around and swear again.

"By the gods, Gwendolyn. You wouldn't make it." I slowly walk back over to her and pick up the cloth again, squeezing some water over Gwendolyn's back. She flinches hard and I gently place the cloth on her back, mopping up some of the blood.

Gwendolyn stiffens and squeezes her eyes shut, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Nnnng..." her jaw clenches and I quickly remove the cloth.

"Darling," I mutter under my breath, "I'm sorry... So sorry..."

"Y-you called m-me dar-rling again." Gwendolyn stutters softly, grinding her teeth together in pain.

I sigh heavily, cleaning out the washcloth again, "Well what do you want me to call you, Gwendolyn?"

A ghost of a smile plays with her cracked lips, "No, no I don't mind it..."

"I won't make a habit out of it." I smile, but it turns into a grimace as I press the cloth to Gwendolyn's back again and she groans, trying to muffle it by biting her lip. I can tell she's crying by her body shaking slightly, and I say to her softly, "I'm sorry... but I have to clean you up..."

She nods slightly and I finish as quickly as I can, placing cloth bandages on most of her back. I kneel sown close to her face and say, "I'm done now, Gwendolyn, try and get some rest, please."

"Are, are you going to leave?" she asks, her voice still hardly a whisper, and now also trembling.

I shake my head, "No. Absolutely not."

She smiles ever so slightly as her eyelids flutter shut softly, her head completely relaxing onto the pillow. I lean over and gently kiss her forehead, then stand.

I look down at the patch job I've done to Gwendolyn and grab a blanket, draping it over her gently. Her breathing gets deep and even, and she falls into a deep sleep.

A nurse comes in and sees the once pristine sheets now covered in blood, and gasps. She quickly strips the bed and rolls the sheets into a ball and leaves, holding them away from her body. Another minute passes and a different nurse comes in, with clean sheets, and she puts them on the bed and beckons for me to go over.

"You need your sleep too," the nurse murmurs to me.

I nod and sit down on the bed heavily, my head in my hands, elbows on knees. My elf ears perk up slightly as I hear a commotion outside the room.

"Where the hell is he? I'll skin him alive!" A man comes barrelling into the room, red faced and breathing heavily.

I stand quickly and look over at the young man, perhaps a year my senior, and ask quietly, "Do I know you?"

"If you don't, you will remember me! You killed my best friend!" the man yells, pointing an accusing finger at me.

Gwendolyn jerks awake and murmurs, "What's going on...?"

I throw my hands in the air and hiss, "Now you've woken her." I walk over to the man and grab his arm, propelling him out the door.

My hand still on his arm, I peek back into Gwendolyn's room and say, "Go back to sleep, Gwendolyn."

I face him again and say in a normal tone, "Calm down and tell me your name."

"My name is Leon. Leon Dey. And you've killed my-" I cut Leon off.

"Yes, yes, I know, your best friend." I massage my temples, just waiting for the headache. "Who was this 'best friend' of yours?"

"Gwendolyn Pirie." Leon replies sharply.


	23. Chapter 22

Twenty-two

M**y eyes widen **slightly and I struggle to contain myself. "How long ago was this?" I ask hesitantly.

"Seven years," Leon says matter-of-factly.

"S-seven years? How did I kill her?"

"You burned her at the stake. Including her mother and her mother's sister. So pardon me, but," the man trails off and lunges at me, quickly unsheathing a knife.

I disarm him agilely, sidestepping and grabbing his knife hand as he comes at me. I laugh shortly, "You think you can kill me, at point blank range?"

The man is full of rage, however, and tries to attack me with his hands, running full force at me. I sigh heavily and sidestep again, forcing Leon into the wall. I pin his hands on the wall and mutter in his ear, "You just _woke_ Gwendolyn Pirie."

Leon's struggling ceases, and he says, "You killed her, seven years ago."

I shake my head, amused, "Did you _see_ the burning?"

Leon shakes his head slightly, slumping against the wall.

"If you had, you would have known that I didn't burn the girl, but instead aided her in escaping." Even though Leon has all but given up, I still feel as though he would try and harm me, or try and see Gwendolyn. I've gotten more protective of her, and I don't want her disturbed when she's healing.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a Zora sneak into Gwendolyn's room and I decide that it's more of a risk than Leon right now. I release him quickly and head into Gwendolyn's room quietly, knowing that the young man is following me.

I hold the dagger that I obtained from Leon up against the Zora's neck, whispering furiously, "What are you doing in here?"

The Zora jumps and turns to me, and I see that it's a nurse. I withdraw my knife and murmur my apologies. The nurse turns back to Gwendolyn and looks her over saying, "You did a good job here."

I nod and ask her, "Why are you in here?"

"I was told to tell you that someone is here to see you, but it would seem you already know this..." she glances over at Leon, raising her eyebrows at him.

I nod and let her move past me and Leon, leaving. Turning back to Gwendolyn, I sigh heavily, knowing she's awake. "Gwendolyn... Someone here says they know you."

"Hmm...?" She murmurs and looks up at Leon, slight recognition crossing her features.

"Gwen? You're alive?" Leon murmurs.

Gwendolyn's features harden. "Don't call me Gwen. I don't even know you." She winces once and turns away, trying to sleep again.

"Gwen..." he stops as she turns to him again, giving him a menacing look. Leon flinches and starts again, "I'm Leon, Gwendolyn, Leon Dey. How do you not remember me?"

Gwendolyn struggles again to turn onto her other side, facing us again. Her eyes squint as if she is trying to picture Leon seven years younger. "Oh my gods..." she murmurs, her eyes going wide, "I do know you."

A smile breaks over Leon's features as he strides over to Gwendolyn, kneeling beside her bed. "It's been seven years, seven long years, my friend. I've missed so much of your life..."

Gwendolyn nods carefully and looks up at me as I turn to leave, meaning to allow them privacy.

Closing the door behind me, I clench my hands into fists, suddenly overcome with jealousy.

I shake my head to clear it, leaning against the wall next to the door. Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh and cross my arms.

A tongue clicks against teeth and a soft feminine voice reaches my ears, "Shadow... Still hanging around that girl?"

My eyes shoot open and I come face to face with none other than Casaway. "You stay away from her," I growl. "How did you get out?"

Casaway shrugs, then sneers, "You seem to be getting possessive, aren't you? Remember the last time you got possessive?"

I shrug, imitating Casaway, keeping my face coolly neutral. "I recall."

Casaway moves towards the door, but I smoothly cut her off. "You are not going to see her, touch her, or hurt her anymore, Casaway." I practically spit this statement in my anger.

"Po-ssess-ive..." Casaway sings, raising her eyebrows menacingly.

I grab her upper arm and pull her away from the door, dragging her into the throne chambers. "How did the chit get out?" I bellow, not to anyone in particular.

Rolas jumps and looks over at me fearfully, not having heard me angry before. One look at Casaway and he riles, standing and coming over to us. He stands in front of Casaway, a good three inches taller than her, and asks one simple question; "Why?"

Casaway looks away, suddenly vulnerable. But when she looks back at Rolas, steel has covered her features again and she shrugs. "I got bored. It's very boring here."

Rolas unconsciously raises a hand to strike her, but recovers himself quickly.

My voice has receded several notches, although the tone is still sharp when I say, "Milord, where can I put her so she doesn't escape again?"

Rolas seems to think for a moment before exclaiming, "I know, follow me." He walks past me and I turn, dragging Casaway behind me, following Rolas.

"We used to keep prisoners here to torture back when my father was king, but I didn't think it was..." Rolas seems to think, "very nice," he says for lack of better terms.

I nod and follow him down a dark hallway, and I notice that the walls are stone. Rolas stops at the end and goes down a few flights of stairs, again going to the end of a long stone hallway. He opens a door, struggling slightly because of the rust on it.

I grab a single torch from a sconce and walk in the room, looking around.

"No one has ever escaped, I can promise you." Rolas shudders slightly, because of the thought and of the cold and continues, "You can leave her here until Gwendolyn is recovered. You have my word that no one will disturb her."

I shove Casaway into the dark depths and turn, walking to the entrance. I place the torch in a sconce next to the door, giving her some light, and exit, slamming the door behind me. "Does it have a special name?" I ask.

Rolas nods, "The Vault," he says simply.


	24. Chapter 23

Twenty-three

I **return to the** infirmary quickly, almost forgetting the way multiple times. Rolas had returned to his chambers, not worried in the least that Gwendolyn would make it.

I knock softly before opening the door,  
>"I hope you two had sufficient time to catch up, because I can't stand having Gwendolyn out of my sight." I say in a rush, not thinking.<p>

Leon looks at me weird while Gwendolyn blushes. Leon recovers first, "Possessive?"

I shudder unconsciously and nod slightly, "Worried is all."

"I would have to agree with that, with all she's told me." Leon says softly, his hands turning to fists on his knees.

I only then notice the tear tracks on Gwendolyn's cheeks, both dried and fresh. She looks over at me with a look that questions my shudder, and I just shake my head.

"You can't stand having Gwen out of your sight? Is Shadow Link getting a mite soft?" Leon scoffs and leans back in the chair, resting his hands behind his head.

I start towards him, ready to throttle him again, but Gwendolyn stops me. "Dark," she casts a warning glance in my direction and I stop, halfway through a step.

Leon looks over at me and raises his eyebrows, whistling slightly. "She's got you on a tight leash..."

He smirks and I know he's just trying to vex me, make me go after him, and it works. I start at him, meaning to knock some sense in him, but Gwendolyn grabs Leon and jumps from her bed to his lap. I catch Gwendolyn's cheek with the back of my hand, a slap meant for Leon.

Gwendolyn cries out and immediately covers her cheek with her hand, starting to tremble. Leon gingerly wraps his arms around her and softly comforts her. He then looks up at me, "Now look at what you've done!" Leon gently places her back in her bed and stands, facing me.

"What _I've_ done? If you hadn't tried to get me to attack you, she wouldn't have had to try and protect you, and I wouldn't have struck her!" I yell back, furious enough that my eyes are glowing. I glare back at him and Leon flinches slightly.

Leon tries to compensate by yelling again, but I cut him off, "Get out of my sight!" I bellow, pointing to the door.

Leon jumps a bit and makes leeway to the door, quickly closing it behind him.

I close my eyes until most of my anger is ebbed away, because I won't let Gwendolyn see my eyes. Once I feel calmed enough, I walk over to Gwendolyn and sit down where Leon had been sitting, hands on my knees. "Gwendolyn," I start, "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean—"

"Shut up, Dark." Gwendolyn says sharply, and I flinch at her force. "I don't want to hear your apologies. Your anger always, _always_ gets the best of you. How many other innocents did you kill before leaving Zelda, hm?"

I look down, making fists, twisting the fabric of my trousers in my hands, "You don't want to know that number, Gwendolyn..."

Gwendolyn socks her jaw out stubbornly, "Yes I do. I'm sick of not hearing anything about your past."

"I don't tell you because you would not fare well knowing." I try to keep my temper in check, my voice level.

"I can't keep running around with you, because I know almost nothing of this atrocious past you won't tell me anything about!"

I point an accusing finger at her, "You wanted to come with me! Not the other way around! Don't you _dare_ turn this around on me, Gwendolyn."

"Leon has brought light to my eyes, Dark, when I get better I'm leaving with him." Gwendolyn mutters.

My eyes go wide and I exclaim, "I'm sick of hearing about this infamous Leon! You don't know him, Gwendolyn."

"He was my best friend when I was a child, Dark, I think I know him." Gwendolyn retorts.

I just shake my head, "No you don't, Gwendolyn. People change after seven years. You should know that better than anyone. Hell, people change after a small two weeks."

"He's a man for gods sakes! Do you know what he could do to you?" I yell only a moment after.

Gwendolyn stares back at me, incredulous, "You're a man! Do you not recall what you _did_ do to people?"

I flinch at both the accusation from Gwendolyn and the thoughts that immediately come to my mind. "Don't— I'm going to—" I let out an exasperated yell and start for the door, "That's my entire _point_, Gwendolyn. But do whatever the hell you please, Gwendolyn, just don't come back to me when he leaves you, or worse." I leave and slam the door before I can see Gwendolyn's reaction at my last comment.

I see Leon standing smugly a few paces away and I storm up to him. "You can have her," I spit. Breathing heavily, I turn on my heel and walk away, towards the entrance of Zora's Domain.

Ralu comes running up to me, "Where are you going?" She puts her hand on my shoulder.

I shrug her off and mutter, "I'm leaving." Walking through the waterfall barrier concealing the Zora's with the rest of Hyrule, I fume at Gwendolyn's naïveté. She knows nothing about men, has gone through what she's gone through, and yet still trusts everyone without abandon. I'm beginning to detest Leon more and more, even if only for the slight reason of stealing Gwendolyn from me. She isn't mine, and I can go back to my regular duties now. Except, running through my list of things to do, people to terrorise, I come up short.

I reach Arai and she looks at me with a face that would incinerate any man, though how a horse could pull that face is lost on me. "What? She wanted to stay."

I begin pacing heavily when Arai looks away, thoughts running through my head. _She wanted to stay, she said so herself. Why am I getting so worked up over this?_

_Because she's more than just some broken girl to you now, isn't she?_ my conscious asks me.

I groan and run a hand down my face, _Yes_. I snap. _So what if she is? So what if I care for her, and that I'm worried what will happen to her if she leaves with Leon? It doesn't even matter now._

I swallow and suddenly stop pacing, a realisation coming over me. I _do_ care for Gwendolyn, and I need her as much as she needs me. After my epiphany, I swiftly gather my supplies again and tether them onto Arai. She shakes her head at me, jostling her mane, and I take off running into Zora's Domain, yelling behind me, "Thank you, Arai!"

I arrive out of breath and panting, looking around wildly for Leon. "Leon!" I bellow, praying for a response.

I am rewarded by a smug looking young man walking out of Gwendolyn's room. He strides over to me and crosses his arms. "Realised your mistake already? I was guessing it would take you at least until we left." Leon smirks.

"You touch her, Leon, and I swear I will..." I trail off in my anger, "You can't have her."

"Obviously I've noticed that by now." Leon laughs slightly and moves out of my way, allowing me to go into Gwendolyn's room.

I burst into Gwendolyn's room in a panic, but when I see her lying comfortably on the same bed I left her on, now stacked with pillows, I breathe a little easier. I grab Gwendolyn's glass of water and turn, uncapping the flask at my neck and pouring another fourth of the magic water into Gwendolyn's without her noticing, because I know she would protest.

Stoppering the water, I turn and hand Gwendolyn the glass. "Drink, you don't want to become more dehydrated." I mask my concern for her healing with concern for her health.

Gwendolyn takes the glass slowly and presses it to her lips, drinking greedily.

I start pacing again as Gwendolyn sets the glass down. I can tell the water has started working because of the look on Gwendolyn's face. She peers at her arms and stretches her back, not wincing in the slightest.

"Dark you didn't," she mutters.

I nod and reply, "Yes, I did. Because I have come to realise that I cannot _bear_ it to see you in pain. I can't stand knowing you're hurting and that I can't do anything about it." I pace furiously, not chancing a look at Gwendolyn for the fear that my cover will crumble and I will forget my speech.

A resigned sigh escapes Gwendolyn's lips as she says, "Dark, why are you here? I know you didn't come back just to torment me with one of your tirades. I grow weary of you yelling at me all the time."

I stare at Gwendolyn, incredulous, and my prepared words fly from my mind. I point at her, "You grow weary of my yelling at you?" I then point at myself, "I grow weary of having to rescue you all the time! But you know what? I do anyways!"

Gwendolyn glares up at me, "Why is that Dark, why?"

"Why? Why indeed! I don't know why, darling!" This time when I say "darling", I snarl it.

She flinches away, a hurt look passing her face before it hardens again, "Get out!" Gwendolyn points one shaky finger at the door.

"NO!" I bellow, "I'm not finished! I come after you because, because, because I care for you, okay? Because I realised I needed you as much, or more, as you needed me!"

"I don't need you anymore!" Gwendolyn screams at me, "I have Leon! Now please," her voice softens, "leave my sight."

"Dammit Gwendolyn! I'm not leaving you! Not now, not ever, okay?" My voice cracks at the end and I find that tears are streaming down my cheeks.

Gwendolyn closes her eyes and whispers, "No, just go, please."

Instead of leaving, I sit down on the stool in front of Gwendolyn's bed and state stubbornly, "Never."

Gwendolyn shifts and turns, facing her back to me. I resist the urge to force her to face me by clenching my fists. "Don't turn your back on me Gwendolyn, because I sure as hell won't turn mine on you."

Gwendolyn does nothing, so I close my eyes and calm myself physically as well as emotionally. I haven't gotten close to a woman since Kelandra, and that was long ago. When I open my eyes again, I can easily see that Gwendolyn is trembling.

"Oh dear..." I murmur, mostly to myself. I reach out a hand and gently touch her shoulder, but retract slightly when Gwendolyn flinches. Determined, I put my hand on her shoulder. It only takes a small pull for Gwendolyn to roll over to face me, and I can see the tear tracks on her cheeks. "Gwendolyn you've been crying..."

Gwendolyn laughs shortly, "You make it sound like some big deal."

I start and widen my eyes slightly, "It is..."

Gwendolyn smiles slightly and shads her head, seemingly amused, "Not a big a deal as your tears, Dark."

"Gods," I mutter. Quickly swiping at my eyes, I give a poor attempt at wiping the salty water away.

Gwendolyn grabs my hand and says, "It's not something to be embarrassed over, Dark..." She pauses for a second before adding, "Do you really care for me?"

I fiddle with Gwendolyn's fingers and nod, saying softly, "I believe so, I had a conversation with my horse and then myself before realising it though. If I didn't care for you, I would think I was going crazy."

Gwendolyn laughs, a sweet, soothing sound, and says, "A conversation, with your horse? Dark, I knew you were crazy the moment I met you."

"And about the thing with my past,"

"No, if you don't tell me, I have no right to invade into the things that are uncomfortable to you." Gwendolyn shakes her head.

"I want to tell you," I falter and swallow, starting again, "Regarding my shudder... I, Kelandra was," I sigh, "she was, in a way, my first, and only, love."

Gwendolyn interrupts softly, "What was she like?"

A look crosses my face as I reply just as softly, "She was beautiful. Dark chestnut hair, long and wavy like, which would shine golden in the light, bright green eyes, flecks of lighter and darker green in them. Kelandra was willowy, lean," I pause, picturing her soft smile in my mind's eye, "around five inches shorter than me. Her personality, her attitude towards everything made me leave Zelda, and that was a mistake."

My eyes darken and I swallow hard, "When Zelda caught us, she all but dragged us back to Hyrule Castle. She tortured us both, but Ganondorf got most charge of Kelandra. He," my voice cracks and I grit my teeth, clenching my hands into fists.

"Shh... Dark, you don't have to." Gwendolyn whispers, almost inaudible.

I shake my head and continue, "Kelandra's cries broke my heart, hurt me more than Zelda was, or ever had, I would have much rather died than hear her in pain anymore. And one day, early in the morn, her screams stopped. Zelda came to me herself with the news, and it was that news that finally broke me. I finally told Zelda I would do everything she told me to do, without question.

"I became hardened to everything, cruel. 'The ends justified the means', as Zelda said to me." I look over at Gwendolyn and almost laugh at her puzzled expression.

"What do you mean?" she asks softly.

Now I do laugh, though sober quickly and say, "Zelda thought that even though she killed Kelandra, she had me, I was undeniably hers."

"Oh, okay," Gwendolyn murmurs.

I fall silent, finished with my telling; and put the stopper back onto my emotions, becoming stoic once again.

"I'm sorry," Gwendolyn whispers. She pauses then adds slowly, hesitantly, "Can, can you explain more, perhaps, I, er..."

I nod expectantly, "Go on..."

"What I mean to say is, explain Kelandra's personality more? How she, um, brought you to leave Zelda?"

I nod ever so slightly and my eyes close, remembering the day fully in my memory…

"Link!" Kelandra calls back at me, looking over her shoulder. She grins and stops, seeing my smirk.

What now, Kelandra?" I ask wearily, faking her out.

She pouts and walks closer to me, her slim hips swaying. "You walk too slow, Link!"

I laugh and retort, "I'm trying to be sneaky! We _are_ running from Zelda, aren't we, love?"

Kelandra smiles and reaches me, wrapping her arms around my neck and lacing her fingers together, playing with my hair. "We are indeed." She leans in and kisses me softly.

I kiss her back with a tenderness I wouldn't have had with anyone else. "I love you..." I whisper softly.

Kelandra blushes and whispers back just as soft, "I love you too. And I always will, Link."

I step back and take Kelandra's hand in my own, starting to walk again. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Kelandra grins and walks next to me, gently squeezing my hand. She leans on me a little bit and I release her hand, putting my arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

As we reach the front gate, my stomach gets nervous, and my palms start sweating. I stop and turn to Kelandra, "Sure?"

She smiles softly and says, "I'm sure, my love, one hundred percent."

I nod and lean in, kissing the tip of her nose. "Alright."

"Dark?" I hear someone murmur, far away.

My eyes open and I see Gwendolyn looking at me worriedly. "She always called me Link," I say softly. "Everyone always calls me Shadow, but from the day she met me she called me Link. Said Shadow was mean, made me sound evil." I run my hand over my face.

"But, but you _were_ bad..." Gwendolyn whispers hesitantly.

"I know!" I stop when I realise I'm shouting, "I know I was." I shake my head, "She refused to believe there was any bad in anyone. Any bad in me." I look down at my lap and find my hands are shaking, so I clench them into fists.

"She sounds wonderful..." Gwendolyn says, a hint of melancholy in her voice.

"Yes, she was. And then Ganondorf took her from me." I grit my teeth and swallow hard.

"So that's why you were so protective when we met. Why you asked those questions."

I nod, "Ever since I really left Zelda, I've been calloused to everyone, all except the broken, the beaten, the abused. They've always held me, ever since Kelandra."

"So that's what I was, am? You felt sorry for me is all? Your heart still lies with Kelandra, doesn't it?" Gwendolyn shakes her head.

"No!" I exclaim. "I may have felt sorry for you, but you also reminded me of Kelandra. I died when Kelandra died, but somehow you've made me," I hesitate, just enough for Gwendolyn to get a word in.

"You don't have to hide your emotions from me, Dark. You don't have to be so impassive."

"What is it you want to hear, Gwendolyn? That I love you? Because I can't say that." I snap.

Gwendolyn takes a deep breath, "No I don't want you to say that. It's good enough to me that you're saying you care for me."

"I _do_ care for you. I care for you more than I've cared for anyone in a long time."

Gwendolyn meets my eyes briefly then looks down again, "Do you care for me as much as you did for Kelandra?"

My eyes widen and I open my mouth, "Don't put that on me, Gwendolyn. I will not, I refuse to compare you to Kelandra. I will not soil her memory by condemning her, nor hurt you for doing the same to you."

Gwendolyn nods and leans back onto her pillows and murmurs, "Alright." She pauses for a moment then adds, "I'm tired, Dark,"

Taking this as a dismissal, I lean over Gwendolyn and kiss her cheek softly. I stand and leave, closing the door quietly as I do.


	25. Chapter 24

Twenty-four

I **see Leon moving** towards me as soon as I exit the room, so I walk to meet him halfway. "That was your plan all along, wasn't it?"

Leon feigns innocence, "What plan is this?"

"You weren't really going to take her, were you?"

"Yes, I was. I was hoping I wouldn't have to, but I was fully prepared to take her if you didn't come back." Leon states.

"Didn't come back? You were _expecting_ me to come back?"

"Well," Leon looks at me sheepishly, "After that fight you two had, I have to admit, I was a little worried. Gwen also told me she wouldn't be able to lie to you, seems she did a pretty good job."

I shake my head, "She wasn't lying. All that talk about my past, it's been bugging her since she met me. She'd never trust me again if she knew what I've done."

"I'm surprised she trusts you at all at this point." Leon mutters.

I hang my head and say, "I am too."

"He saved my life, that's why I trust him still." Gwendolyn comes up behind me and touches my arm gently, "That's the only reason I still do."

I start and look at her, "Gwendolyn, you should be resting so you can heal."

"Well thanks to that stupid healing draft you gave me, I'm almost healed."

"That "stupid healing draft" saved your life, Gwendolyn." I retort.

She raises a delicate eyebrow, "Oh? So then the healing draft got me out of there and carried me up to the infirmary? That's a mighty feat for water, you think?"

Leon chuckles and says quietly, "You two fight like an old married couple,"

Both Gwendolyn and I glare at Leon and say almost simultaneously, "Stay out of it."

Leon raises his eyebrows and smirks, "Yes, alright..."

I turn back to Gwendolyn and retort, "That may have been me, but—"

"Then I see you saved my life. So I tru—"

"Don't say it, Gwendolyn."

"Why? What's so wrong about saying I trust you?" Gwendolyn looks up at me, almost glaring.

"Because that's what got Kelandra killed!" I bellow. "She trusted me and fell in love with me and then she died!"

Gwendolyn flinches and takes an unconscious step back. Leon does the same, although retreating further. "I'm sorry," Gwendolyn whispers.

I run a shaking hand across my mouth and spin around, starting to leave again.

Gwendolyn grabs my hand and forces me to stop and turn to her. "I shouldn't have pressed you about her, Dark, I'm sorry."

I shake my head, "It was over two years ago. I just,"

"You just what?" Gwendolyn whispers, barely audible.

"I still love her." I utter, mostly to myself.

Gwendolyn's hand drops from my own and swings gently at her side. She doesn't say anything, but she doesn't have to; I know exactly what she's thinking. Her heart has just broken, and the hope that I might love her like Kelandra has just died.

I mutter, "I'm sorry."

"No, you know what? You're not sorry; because you told me you wouldn't turn your back on me, and look what you're doing. You're leaving, again. How many times is this, Dark? Three? Four? I," Gwendolyn takes a breath and tries to speak again, but her voice cracks and she covers her mouth with her hand, choking up.

I sigh and spin around, "Anlai hal epb'ai bhilo on'sh de'o t'u, Gwendolyn! Ul t'i rt're on'sh fr'rol og gev estrain w'n re'sp hu'll sed on'sh—anlai in'tew ply'estr w'n!"

(A/N: stop this self-pitying shit and grow up, Gwendolyn! I am sick and tired of you getting me to turn back and—stop guilt tripping me!)

I breathe hard; I haven't spoken that much Otherworld in longer than I can remember. The shock on Gwendolyn's face is so unshaded, so _raw_, that I almost wince.

Leon takes a protective step towards Gwendolyn and yells, "What the hell are you doing, speaking that foul tongue?"

Stumbling backwards and putting up my hands defensively, I whisper quickly, "I'm sorry," and spin around, flying from Zora's Domain once again.

I spin around on Leon, "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Gwendolyn, that language, the Otherworld language, is evil. I don't want you to be around him anymore. I'm taking you with me, okay?" Leon retorts, almost spitting.

I shake my head, "I may seem like I trust you, but in truth, Leon, I really don't know who you are. Maybe what Dark said is from an evil language, but that does _not_ mean that he himself is. I'm not going with you."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"_Yes_ you are."

"I am not, Leon! You're not my mother, alright?" I spin around and storm back to my room, throwing on my clothes as quick as I can.

Almost running past Leon again, he grabs my arm. "Just be careful, okay? Don't get yourself hurt, alright?"

I nod sharply and shrug off his hand. I wring my hands in front of myself and walk out, following Dark.

I can hear Leon and Gwendolyn yelling inside Zora's Domain and I shake my head. I can't believe I said all that, especially in Otherworld. It was bad enough that I said it in an almost dead, evil language, but what I said was completely unforgivable.

I clasp my hands behind my back and rush back to Arai, and she gives me another look. "Es'ul? Wa'a akul yo'p!"

(A/N: what? Not my fault!)

Someone behind me clears their throat and I spin around. Gwendolyn is standing with her hands on her hips, lips pursed, and eyebrows raised. "I'm sorry, okay? And Leon had no reason to react like that."

"Ohi'th'bwe." I mutter, still speaking Otherworld.

"What?" Gwendolyn's facial features quickly turn to confusion.

I start pacing and I speak rapidly, "Lo _gu'hth_ nis ty'mi'u re'sp gh'um tin'n cru."

"I can't understand you, Dark." Gwendolyn interrupts me.

I stop pacing and look over at her, "He does have reason to react that way. Otherworld is a very bad language spoken by mostly Dark Nymphs and other Dark Beings. I shouldn't have spoken it then, and I shouldn't be speaking it at all. I was just angry, and it slipped."

"I'm sorry I brought up Kelandra..." Gwendolyn looks down at her feet while she mutters this.

"Wur'm anlai hi'jo'll am'ure se!" I yell. I realise I've said this in Otherworld and shut my mouth quickly. I mutter, "See?" I swallow hard and continue, "You shouldn't be around me."

(A/N: Then stop bringing her up!)

"I _want_ to be around you. Because I've been noticing your, shall we say, transformation, and I want to see the Dark inside of you that is Link! The Dark inside of you that wants to be shown, that is light. And every day, more and more of that shines through. I want to see the Dark that is caring and sensitive, instead of malicious." Gwendolyn lifts her head and looks me in the eyes.

I quickly tear my gaze away from hers and mutter, "That's not going to happen, Gwendolyn."

"It will! Because I'm determined to see the Dark that Kelandra saw in you."

Gwendolyn gasps when I stalk over to her and put my hands on her shoulders. "I," Gwendolyn blushes and tries to look down, but I hold her chin with two of my fingers. "I'm sor-"

"Shut up," I growl, and lean down, kissing her roughly.

Gwendolyn jumps in surprise and starts to struggle, but I just kiss her harder. Slowly, she relaxes and subconsciously she snakes her hands up my chest and around my neck, playing with my hair. I move my hands to her waist, and squeeze gently. Gwendolyn starts kissing me slightly rougher and I smile, matching her. I pull her against me and she complies, twirling her fingers in my hair. My head slants slightly to kiss Gwendolyn harder, my hands grasping Gwendolyn's waist tighter.

Gwendolyn moans slightly and knots her fingers in my hair, tugging gently. She tightens her grip around my neck and pulls herself against me, pressing us closer together.

I wrap my arms around her waist and tighten my grip, kissing Gwendolyn harder. Our kisses get hungrier and hungrier as I nibble on her lower lip. Gwendolyn moans again and I growl softly as she pulls on my hair more.

My fingers move to her belt buckle and I rest them there, pressing my thumbs to Gwendolyn's stomach, wrapping my fingers around her sides to her back. I pull on her belt and unclasp it, and Gwendolyn kisses me harder. The soft leather falls from her hips and to the ground.

My fingers trace the hem of Gwendolyn's tunic and I pull it up slightly, lightly tracing my fingers on her soft skin. Gwendolyn shivers slightly and I kiss her harder, gently pulling her tunic up more. Gwendolyn loosens her grip around my neck, but her fingers stay knotted in my hair.

I run my hands down Gwendolyn's shoulders to her hips and back up, pulling up her tunic more. She removes her arms from around my neck and rests her hands on my chest, softly gripping the front of my tunic.

I break the kiss before it can go any farther and hold Gwendolyn tight to me, burying my face in the crook of where her neck and shoulder meet and kissing her neck softly. Gwendolyn is shivering slightly and she leans heavily against me.

"I'm sorry," I murmur softly, my lips brushing against Gwendolyn's skin.

Gwendolyn shakes her head, "No, I'm, Dark, oh my gosh..."

I smile into Gwendolyn's neck and think, _She's lost for words…_ I let go of her reluctantly and start packing up. "If we want to find Barron soon, we'll have to leave now," I say quietly.

But before Gwendolyn can start helping me pack, a Zora, Ralu, comes up and says breathlessly, "I thought I would inform you that King Rolas is scheduling Casaway's execution for tomorrow."

"I'm not so sure she'll make it that far," Gwendolyn mutters under her breath.

I stop tying supplies onto Arai's saddle and turn to face Gwendolyn. "Why?"

"Because I'm going to kill her." Gwendolyn says simply. She nods and looks back at me, determination on her face.

"What? No, I don't think so." I tell her, turning back to my dark mare.

I can sense that Gwendolyn is shaking her head behind me, and I sigh, my fingers freezing in the middle of a buckle. "Gwendolyn, you know I will not let you kill Casaway, right?"

I turn towards her and find that she's not there anymore, but walking back towards the Domain.

Letting out an exasperated sort of sigh, I glance at Ralu.

She nods, saying, "I'll watch the horses."

I jog to catch up to Gwendolyn, waving my thanks to Ralu as I pass her.

Slowing my pace, I gently grasp Gwendolyn's wrist, stopping her. Another pull gets her to turn and face me. "Gwendolyn," I start, but Gwendolyn softly cuts me off,

"Can you, call me 'darling' again?" She looks down at her feet, blushing.

A smile softens my features as I say, "Of course, darling..." I slowly raise my fingers to Gwendolyn's chin and tug on it, carefully force her to look at me. I whisper, "I will not stand by and let you destroy yourself like that, have that guilt your entire life."

"You seem to be handling your past pretty well." Gwendolyn retorts, her voice barely a whisper.

I start and almost take a step back, muttering bitterly, "And I think about every single one of them every single day, see them when I close my eyes." I shake my head, "I've just had to cover everything since I was seven, else Zelda..." I trail off, leaving Gwendolyn to her imagination.

And she does a good job as well, her eyes widen, mouth opening slightly, exhaling softly. "Oh, I, gods, Dark... I never really thought about that… I'm, sorry."

I sigh softly and run my hand down my face, "Wasn't what I meant at all."

Gwendolyn shrugs slightly and says, "I still want to kill her, I don't care what that sounds like. Do you know what she had her "people" do to me?"

I nod hesitantly after a few moments, millions of thoughts running through my head as I say slowly, "Okay,"

"O-okay?" Gwendolyn carefully moves her gaze from my chest to my eyes, her eyes still slightly wider than usual.

I nod slightly again and voice my main thought at the moment, "You have to swear to me that this won't change you, alright?"

Gwendolyn nods fervently, "Of course, I swear."

She seems so ecstatic about it that I wince inwardly. To cover it up, I put my arm around her shoulders and start walking back to the Domain. Gwendolyn gets dragged beside me for a few steps before she catches up to me.

"Don't worry, Dar, I'll come out the same." she murmurs softly, looking up at me.

I sigh, "That's not what I'm worried about, Gwendolyn."

"Then wha—" she starts, but stumbles a bit, tripping on a tree root.

I slightly grip Gwendolyn's shoulders tighter to keep her standing and murmur almost inaudibly, "Careful…"

She reaches up behind her and grabs onto my shoulder to steady herself, muttering under her breath, "I'm so clumsy,"

I nod, chuckling silently, "Yes, you are."

Ever so slowly, we come to the entrance of Zora's Domain again. I look over at the arch, to the river, and sigh slightly. "Let's go."

Gwendolyn nods and starts walking without me, my arm slipping from her shoulders and back to my side.

I follow silently, and see Leon approach us slowly as we enter.

"You two can't seem to make up your minds to stay or not, can you?" Leon tries to withhold a smile.

Gwendolyn brushes past him, pausing only to give him a slight smile.

I sigh again as Leon tries again on me, "Something happen?"

I shrug and tell him, "She's going to kill Casaway."

Leon's eyes widen and his eyebrows raise, "She's going to _what_?"

I nod. "Kill Casaway."

"She can't—I won't—she will do no such thing." Leon sputters.

I shake my head, starting to make my way past him, "Can't seem to stop her, I tried as well."

"Well, this is preposterous!"

I half shrug and continue walking, taking the lead in front of Gwendolyn and she follows me to Rolas' chambers. When I find that he's not there, I simply turn around and swiftly walk to the throne room. Looking around again, slightly confused now, a guard walks up to me stiffly.

"Where is Prince Rolas?" I ask, slowly turning to face the guard.

"His Highness is not here, Shadow," the guard tells me.

"So I noticed," I mutter, "Then where might he be?"

The guard shrugs rather ungracefully and says, "Seems to always disappear this time of the day."

I throw up my arms in aggravated exasperation and sigh heavily. "You've _got_ to be joking."

"I most certainly am not," the guard retorts, indignant.

"Then can _you_ show me to the Vault?"

The guard nods silently and turns around, walking out of the throne room and down a hallway, disappearing down a set of stairs. I grasp Gwendolyn's hand and follow the guard quickly. As we approach the dark staircase, I glance back at Gwendolyn and the expression on her face is one of solemn anticipation. Taking a deep breath, Gwendolyn and I begin to descend, me keeping a hold on her hand.


	26. Chapter 25

Twenty-five

F**ifteen minutes walking** in near darkness and I can tell that Gwendolyn is getting weary.

"Almost there?" Gwendolyn asks quietly, stumbling slightly.

I nod, increasing my grip on her hand. "Almost there."

The guard stops suddenly and I almost run into him. He starts slightly before motioning to the same door I put Casaway in the few days earlier.

I glance at the door, nodding silently to the guard as I do. Turning to Gwendolyn, I start to speak, "Gwendolyn I will go in wi—"

"No," Gwendolyn interrupts, "I need to do this alone. Let me, please."

I nod tersely, but say, "I'm here."

She gets my meaning and nods also, and I can't resist the urge to hug her.

"For luck," I whisper in her ear. I pull away and she looks at me. "Don't lose yourself in there, please."

Gwendolyn nods and turns around, disappearing into the Vault.

All of a sudden, Dark pulls me into his arms and whispers in my ear, "For luck." I feel comforted by the gesture, but it's over too soon.

"Don't lose yourself in there, please." Dark says to me, and I understand his meaning. I nod and turn, making my way into the torture chamber, the Vault.

I close the door behind me and look over at the pitiful, yet somehow still beautiful half-Zora hanging by her wrists from the ceiling.

Her grin is feral, her eyes still showing stubbornness. That won't be there when I'm done. No, her eyes will be dull and lifeless.

I grin also, my mouth taking on a position it hasn't before, and I look around for my weapon. The Pamkayrd.

Seeing it laying on the table to my left, I walk over to it and pick it up, wincing slightly at the shooting pain that lances up my arm. The wound is still fresh.

I twirl it around my fingers, walking towards Casaway.

As she sees my weapon of choice, her eyes widen, and her mouth forms an "O" shape.

I smirk, "So you've seen it before?"

Casaway says nothing, but the look on her face is plain as day. She's terrified of it, same as me.

I take a step back and circle her, standing at her almost bare back. Only a camisole, pulled up to the base of her breasts is clothing her torso, and only a loincloth hangs from her hips. My eyes move up and down her body as I circle her, finally saying, "You look mighty pitiful now, don't you?"

She growls and spits, "You won't get away with this."

I lick my lips, curling into a grin after her statement, and swing the whip-like device towards Casaway's back. It hits her, and she arches her back in pain, biting her lip to keep from crying out. Blood pours from her back and down to her legs. Again and again I hit her, her blood spraying out everywhere, splattering everything. At around the twelfth whipping, she cries out, and tears stream down her blue cheeks.

She sobs, "Please, I'm sorry, please don't kill me, no more..."

It's pitiful to me, having not been able to speak, only cry out, when my father was punishing me with this same item. A flashback comes to me as I swing again, catching some of her flesh in the barbs. I tear them out and she screams, bleeding freely.

"You deserve to be fed to Argrorok's hatchlings." I say maliciously.

(A/N: Argorok is the dragon boss in the City in the Sky, Twilight Princess)

"Please, please, don't kill me..." Casaway moans.

"Shut up!" I yell, "Was I allowed to beg for mercy when my father was beating me, raping me? I was hit more, with more force! As you will be!"

I hit her one more time, with as much force as I can muster, and the handle of the Pamkayrd hits one of Casaway's ribs. It cracks and she screams, almost passing out. I have another flashback, and I stop, breathing hard.

I can't keep this up, I think. I'm doing exactly what Dark told me not to, I'm losing myself.

"Dammit!" I yell, and throw the Pamkayrd across the room, hearing it clatter into something on the opposite wall.

I see a glint of silver shine in the light of the door, and I walk over to it. Seeing that it's a knife, an idea comes over me. I unsheathe it and walk over to Casaway.

"This is for trying to kill me." I put one slash in her wrist, a little high up, near her elbow. The blood starts to flow.

"This is for being too cowardly to try yourself." Another cut, closer to her wrist.

"And this is for worrying Dark out of his mind." I say this one quietly, almost to myself, in case he's listening, which I know he is. One more slice, right on her wrist. I press hard, hitting bone, making her scream again.

I do the same on her other arm, only just her wrist.

She's still alive, by some devil-scheme, so I walk behind her and put the blade right on her throat. "And this," I hesitate, "this is for your father."

"How did you kn—" she doesn't finish, for my blade slits her throat and she drops her head to her chest, dead.

I wince as I hear the first scream, the first plea for mercy. Then the second, and Gwendolyn's pain-staked reply about her father. I shut my eyes, wishing I could shut my ears, too.

"Dammit!" I hear, and the clatter of metal hitting metal.

I start for the door, but stop as I hear something new, "This is for trying to kill me." She's almost done. "And this is for being too cowardly to try yourself," I step closer, trying to catch her last words. She speaks too softly for my elf ears to hear, and I curse to myself.

"And this," Gwendolyn hesitates, "this is for your father."

My eyes widen, Casaway killed her own father?

One last exhale from Casaway and I think, _It is done, then._

The clatter of the silver knife on the stone floor catches my attention again, and I wrench open the door. Light floods the Vault's chamber as I see the mutilated body of the once princess of the Zoras.

The smell hits me and I gag a little bit, but not before I see the state that Gwendolyn is in.

She's covered head to toe in blood, the dress I made her wear at Vaati's is surely ruined, and wisps of her hair had fallen out of the leather strap she put it in, and are now adhered to her face by sweat and blood. She's breathing hard; I can see the rise and fall in her chest from the door.

"Gwendolyn," I exhale her name, walking towards her.

She snaps her head up and looks at me, I can see in her eyes the pain and rage and closure of Casaway being dead. She glances at Casaway and spins around, retching.

I stride over to her and grasp her shoulders, keeping her standing and offering what little comfort I can. When she finishes I mutter, "Aftershock,"

I pick her up and cradle her in my arms, pressing her face into my chest so she doesn't have to look at the remnants of Casaway. I do however, and think to myself, _How did I ever think her beautiful? Maybe on the outside, but when it gets down to it, she's just like the rest of us. Blood and guts, the only difference is her heart. She had none._

I exit the room and close the door behind me, saying to the guards, "Feed it to Argorok's new hatchlings."

They nod, and Gwendolyn shivers in my arms, trying to draw herself into a ball.

"Hush, it's over, you're alright, let's get you up to the infirmary to clean you up." I whisper to her.

She whimpers as I climb the stairs as fast as I can without jostling Gwendolyn too much. I storm into the throne room for the second time and Rolas jumps this time as well, staying standing as he sees Gwendolyn.

I bow my head, not able to do much else, and say, "My lord,"

Rolas cuts me off, "Stop calling me your lord. I have to say, it is starting to irk me. Just call me Rolas."

I nod sharply, "Rolas, where is the infirmary? I have need of it,"

"So it seems. I thought you two were going down there to torture Casaway, not Gwendolyn." Rolas says, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"We did, this is... ohh, nice one, Rolas," I catch his joke a slight late.

"All kidding aside, follow me." Rolas goes into the door on his left, and I follow. After passing through a long hallway, we go through a door on the other side. Beds are lined up in rows, stretching the whole of the hall. The entire room is white, blinding white. A Zoran nurse approaches us and tells me to follow her.

I do so, glancing down at the shivering bundle in my arms.

"Lay her here," the nurse instructs me.

I set Gwendolyn down on the white sheets and back up a step. The nurse walks in front of me and puts her hand on Gwendolyn's arm.

Gwendolyn's eyes open wide and she shakes her head, "No,"

"'No'?" I echo, incredulous, "Gwendolyn, let her help you."

But she just shakes her head, now refusing to speak.

The Zoran nurse turns around and ushers me out, "She probably doesn't want you to see her."

"Dark stays, only Dark." Gwendolyn whispers. My hypersensitive ears catch it, but the nurse's don't. I stop just shy orchid door and the nurse runs right into my back.

"Why did you stop? The sooner you leave, the sooner you can see her," the nurse whispers.

I nod and say, "Yes, the sooner you leave, the sooner I can get the blood off of her. So please, leave." Without waiting for a reply, I sidestep and push her out, none too gently.

"Well I never!" the nurse exclaims.

I scoff, grinning slightly, and close the door, giving us complete privacy. I turn back to Gwendolyn, "Alright darling, your clothing gets off, now. I'll turn around, just get it off, it's blood soaked."

Gwendolyn nods and I turn, listening acutely to Gwendolyn struggle, then give up, sighing. "I, Dark, will you help me please...?"

I chuckle quietly to myself before turning back to her; she's got the dress and her tights off, but got stuck with her chemise.

Gwendolyn glances at me, a pitiful look on her face. "Yes alright..." I murmur, unable to say no to the look she gives me. I slowly make my way to her bedside and help her sit up, blood seeping through Gwendolyn's chemise and soaking my hands and wrists, small streams of the sticky substance threatening to run down my forearms.

I exhale slowly and ever so gently work the fabric up Gwendolyn's torso and slip it over her head.

Trying my hardest to not glance at Gwendolyn, I walk over to the door and request a bathing tub. A nurse nods and scurries off, touching the arms of two male Zoras who quickly follow her.

I turn back to Gwendolyn to find that she's curled in a ball, looking at me with her chin resting on her knees, fingers laced together across her shins. She blinks slowly, shivering. Walking over to her, our gazes never leaving the others, I sigh imperceptibly. Well, I _thought _it was at least.

As Gwendolyn scoots over to allow me room to sit next to her on the bed, she mumbles, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" I echo softly.

She nods and mumbles more, "You told me not to, and I'll never forget Casaway's face, how she looked at me when I told her I knew about her father, the blood-curdling screams won't ever leave my ears, the warm, sticky blood spattering everywhere, the walls, myself, in my eyes… I scared myself, Dark, the sick satisfaction when she begged for her life." Gwendolyn buries her face in her knees and mumbles, "I found _pleasure_ in killing her…" Gwendolyn shudders as she sobs, her shoulders trembling, and I wrap my arms around her and gently pull her to me.

Gwendolyn turns to me and buries her face in my chest, her fingers tightly gripping the shoulder fabric of my tunic. I gently rock her and a sharp knock comes from the door. The Zoran nurse pokes her head in and I nod.

Two male Zoras enter, carrying a tub filled with water between them. They set it down silently behind a small curtain and exit, pulling the door shut behind them.

I slide my free arm underneath Gwendolyn's legs and slowly, gently pick her up, cradling her to my chest. She whimpers softly and her sobs quiet.

"Got to get the blood off of you, darling…" I murmur, slowly lowering Gwendolyn in the warm water.

She sits up again and opens her eyes, carefully looking up at me, pulling her knees up to her chest.

My eyes scan the water quickly —already, the blood is swirling paths in it—then I raise my gaze to Gwendolyn's and she sighs softly.

Tossing a clean cloth into the metal tub, and watching it soak up the water, I can't help but draw my sight over Gwendolyn's legs. She notices, and in response blushes deeply.

My eyes snap back up to her face and Gwendolyn looks down, grabbing the cloth.

"I-I'll leave you to clean up…" I murmur and start to leave.

"No," Gwendolyn whispers, almost inaudible.

"No?" I echo, shaking my head, "Gwendolyn, you never cease to surprise me."

I kneel down next to the tub, my eyes trained on Gwendolyn's face. My forearms rest on the metal lip, fingers dangling down into the water. Gwendolyn presses the cloth into my palm, blinking slowly and uncurling herself.

"Gwendolyn…" I squeeze the excess water from the cloth and stare at her, not moving otherwise.

"Just get the blood off me," she whispers, her eyes slowly closing, "Please."

I nod slightly and swallow, twisting the fabric between my hands, unsure of what to do. "Gwendolyn, I'm not sure I can, not sure I want to, I don't know, Gwendolyn…"

"Dark," Gwendolyn utters my name softly.

I just shake my head, "No, I won't, I'm sorry."

Dropping the cloth back into the water I stand, my eyes still on Gwendolyn's face. Her eyes open and her gaze flits to mine. She nods, almost indiscernible. "Thank you," she breathes, almost too quiet for me to hear.

My mouth twitches as I try to withhold a grin, but I fail, softly smiling down at Gwendolyn, "Of course," I lean over and lightly brush my lips over her forehead. Straightening again, I slowly exit, closing the curtain behind me.

I sit on the edge of the bed that Gwendolyn had been laying on, hardly noticing that Zoras had come in and replaced the sheets, also leaving clean clothing for Gwendolyn and myself.

I quickly change, crinkling my nose slightly at the shade of my tunic—a faint, light blue—and lower myself on the bed, hands laced behind my head. I close my eyes and almost immediately fall asleep.

_"You dare disobey me again, Shadow? Did you not learn from the last time?" Zelda sneers and snaps back her hand, motioning to the next room, "Your _love_," she sneers again, "is just in the adjacent room, with Ganondorf for company. Now tell me, where, you were going."_

_ I shake my head, "We weren't going anywhere! Please, Princess!" Tears start to spill over my eyes, streaming down my cheeks, as I try and fail to plead with Princess Zelda._

_ But she just yells, "Tell me where you were going!"_

_ "Away from you! Away from your new _pet_!" I spit the word 'pet'._

_ Zelda grins, a feral grin, and says, "So that's it then. You were leaving me…"_

_ I nod. "Yes. Now let her go… please."  
>"Who, Kelandra?" Zelda frowns suddenly, "I don't think so. Ganondorf…!" she calls.<em>

_ The burly Gerudo King saunters in, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. "Yes, Princess?"_

_ "You have your way with the girl." she states simply._

_ Ganondorf's grin is sickly, malicious, and he turns away, walking back into the room where I can hear Kelandra crying._

_ "No!" I yell. Zelda's gaze is drawn back to me. Smirking, she says quietly, "You get this one night's reprieve, so that you can hear your love's cries and hopefully learn a lesson."_

_ I spit at her feet, "Not much of a reprieve, is it?"_

_ Zelda steps back as I spit and glares at me before stalking out. I grit my teeth and yell after her, "Coward!" I can hear her breath hiss through her teeth sharply, but she continues walking._

_ My breathing quickens when I hear Kelandra's whimpers, smell her blood so sharply as though we were right next to each other. I grit my teeth again and stay silent, listening for the screams, waiting for them almost._

_ Her first hoarse yell reaches my ears and I squeeze my eyes shut, struggling at my bonds._

_ A second scream comes, followed my more whimpering. "Please, don't hurt me, ple—"_

I wake up suddenly to find that I'm crying. Sitting up, I wipe at my cheeks, rub my eyes to rid my mind's eye of the memory. Her phantom screams ring through my ears, threatening to drive me to insanity.

Breathing heavily, I swing my feet over the side of the bed. I sigh and rest my elbows on my knees, head in hands. I calm my breathing, closing my eyes again.

Gwendolyn comes up silently behind me and kneels, her knees pressing into my lower back. She places her hands just below my shoulder blades, slowly tracing her fingers up to my shoulders.

"You alright, Dark?" she murmurs.

I nod, "Just a dream,"

Gwendolyn's breath catches softly as she leans over and whispers "okay" in my ear. Ever so slowly, I can sense her leaning her nose against the base of my neck. I can feel her warm breath on my skin, moving closer.

But before she can touch her lips to my neck, I spin around to face her. Gwendolyn jumps back, hasty apologies forming. I move closer to her, placing my hands on either of her cheeks, stopping her as she jumps again. "Shh, no apologies." I pull her closer to me with gentle force on her neck with my fingers.

Gwendolyn's lips part, softly exhaling, as I lean my forehead against hers. Again I whisper, "No apologies," before brushing my lips lightly against hers.

"No apologies…" she murmurs after me, leaning forward slightly, pressing her lips onto mine again.

I brush the hair from in front of her eyes and neatly tuck it behind her ear, my fingers lingering on her cheek.

"If you're going to keep these violent activities up, you'll be needing a haircut." I say jokingly.

"I will not be, because I'm growing it out," Gwendolyn replies softly, knitting her eyebrows at me.

"Hush, I was kidding, Gwendolyn," I tell her, tracing my fingers across her jaw line.

She shivers slightly, her eyes fluttering closed.

I smile faintly at her reaction and murmur quietly, "Gwendolyn, you need to sleep."

She nods, "Mmmh…"

I slowly lay back down, pulling Gwendolyn with me. She scoots closer and snuggles against me, and I allow myself this one night to feel and be vulnerable.

Slowly, lulled by the soft breathing of Gwendolyn, I drift off into a fitful sleep.


	27. Chapter 26

**Mel: Happy Christmas everyone! This is my gift to you! :3**

Twenty-six

W**aking up in **the morning is hard, especially with Kelandra at my side again. I look over at her sleeping form and my breath catches, my eyes closing quickly. _That's not Kelandra,_ I think. Swallowing hard, the breath caught in my throat escapes slowly, hissing through clenched teeth. Those damned dreams are tearing me apart, making me forget reality.

Gwendolyn sighs softly next to me and turns in her sleep, facing me with her lips parted slightly.

I silently study her, my eyes memorising the contours of her face. She may not resemble Kelandra physically, but her personality and demeanour are similar.

Gwendolyn inhales deeply, stretching her legs out. Her eyes open and soon find mine, but not before her gaze sweeps across my bare chest. For a long moment we just look at each other, no need to say anything.

"I think I'm falling in love with you," I whisper, not thinking.

Gwendolyn blinks and stares at me. When she says nothing, I begin to regret blurting what I did. I open my mouth to attempt in retracting my words, when Gwendolyn says slowly, contemplating her words, "I'll be waiting for you there."

After this, I fear Gwendolyn and I will be a bit more awkward around each other. Or I suppose it'll mostly be me. I'm not sure whether I should become more affectionate or… I'm not even sure what. A stream of light filters in the small window, cutting through early morning mist. The sound of water crashing in a waterfall gently brings me back to the white infirmary room, back to Gwendolyn.

She looks at me, not expectantly, just looks at me, a soft smile on her lips.

I lick my own lips and say, "We have to be moving on, as soon as you're able, Gwendolyn."

She nods slightly, "I'm ready whenever,"

Slowly sitting up, I swing my legs over the side of the bed. The tile is cold beneath my feet and I stand, stretching.

Sometime in the night I had gotten warm, and I look around for my tunic. I almost laugh when I see where it is.

Gwendolyn sees me looking at her and sits up, straightening the shoulders of my tunic around her. "I got cold," she says simply, shrugging.

A small piece of paper falls from the folds of the tunic as she shrugs, and my eyes flit to it. Gwendolyn notices and tries to grab it the same time I make a go for it.

She holds it up and jumps off the bed, to the opposite side as I. "What's this?" Gwendolyn teases, twirling the creased paper between two fingers.

"Gwendolyn, don't." I warn, unconsciously reaching out.

"A love letter?" She looks at it, "It's quite creased." Gwendolyn begins to unfold the page.

A low growl starts in my throat, "I will come across this bed and tear it from your hand, Gwendolyn, give it back."

Her fingers freeze and she turns a pout to me. "Why can't I read it?"

I don't reply, just stare at her.

Again Gwendolyn starts unfolding it. She looks at it, now only folded once, and her hand begins to tremble. "I think I know what this is…" she murmurs, looking back at me. "Why did you keep it?"

I shrug, my last attempt to seem nonchalant, and cross my arms over my chest. "Alright Gwendolyn, give it back."

"Why? I wrote it." she retorts.

"And you wrote it, to me." I lean over and snatch the letter from her hand, quickly folding it back up, careful not to rip it.

Gwendolyn watches me, "How many times did you read it?"

"Who's to say I read it?"

She walks around the bed and motions to the paper, "The creases are so folded you can hardly see the writing."

I shrug again, looking down at the paper. I read it so many times I don't have the need to see the words, having them memorized. Though it was written on coarse parchment, it has a leathery texture to it from me carrying it around and reading it. "More times than I care to recall." I say quietly.

"I really scared you, didn't I?" Gwendolyn murmurs, standing in front of me.

I raise my gaze from the paper and look at her. I blink, then brush some hair from her eyes and say, "We need to get going," avoiding the question.

Gwendolyn sighs slightly and nods, "Where do we go from here?"

"Barron." I state slowly, turning away from Gwendolyn. She begins to remove my tunic and I say, "No, I'll get another."

She nods as I grab a tunic, throwing it over my head. This time it's a pale gold. I keep a hold on the note and walk past Gwendolyn, glancing at her quickly. I don't wait for her and just go through the door, quickly exiting the infirmary. I can hear Gwendolyn skipping behind me to catch up, and she slips her hand into mine, holding tight.

My mind is still on Kelandra, and I squeeze her hand, smiling over at her. Again I realise it's not her, and my smile falters.

Gwendolyn catches it and mumbles, "I don't want to just be a replacement for her…"

I stop short, Gwendolyn still moving, and when our arms stretch to the farthest we can reach, I tighten my grip and Gwendolyn is slung back around towards me. I wrap my other arm around her waist and hold her so she can't escape.

Gwendolyn struggles, so I just hold her tighter. "Listen to me, Gwendolyn, no one can, or will replace her, nor will anyone you. You are not her, I realise that, and I accept it."

"Do you, though?" Gwendolyn murmurs softly.

My breath hisses past clenched teeth and I close my eyes briefly. When I open them back up, Gwendolyn is looking up at me. "Yes. I do." I mutter. I pause then add, "You know, there's a word in Otherworld—"

"Don't be speaking that here, Shadow." Leon says, walking up behind me and swiftly grabbing Gwendolyn away from me.

I start, surprised, and snarl, "I'll speak what I want, where I want."

Leon takes a step back, dragging Gwendolyn with him. "She's not safe with you."

Gwendolyn snorts, indignant. "I am safer with him than with you."

"You're willing to put your life in his hands?" Leon gestures to me.

But still Gwendolyn remains indignant. "I already have. On multiple occasions."

Leon growls and shoves Gwendolyn away from him, at me. She tumbles into my arms and I right her, moving towards Leon.

But Gwendolyn just shakes her head. "No, it's not worth it, Dark."

I look Leon over and sneer, "You're right. Let's just go." I grab Gwendolyn's hand and almost drag her to the exit of Zora's Domain.

_Finally. I can get on with killing Barron. _I think, exhaling softly.

"Do we know where we're going? And where's Arai?" Gwendolyn asks me, looking up at me.

I nod my head towards Death Mountain and whistle for Arai. She trots up to greet us with a whicker. I allow Gwendolyn to mount before me, and I pull myself up behind her. I smile when I smell the sweetness of her hair once again before kicking Arai into a canter.


	28. Chapter 27

**Mel: last chapter, guys...eek! But don't hate me for the ending...Please. It's cos...well, there's another part. Enjoi! :3**

Twenty-seven

A**fter a while, **Gwendolyn and I come upon the Death Mountain Trail. I dismount and hold my hand out to Gwendolyn to take. She does, and slips easily into my arms. "You should stay with Arai, Gwendolyn." I say into her hair.

She shakes her head, red strands of hair tickling my face. "No, Dark, I'm not leaving you here."

I sigh and lean away from her. "Please, for my sake, Gwendolyn. I won't have you killed up there."

"How do you even know he's up there?" Gwendolyn questions, peering up at me.

I shrug. "I just do." After a short pause, I look down at her. "You're not going to stay here even if I tie you up, are you?"

Again Gwendolyn shakes her head, a smile pulling at her lips. "No, I'm not. I'll just follow you."

I sigh heavily and release her. Grasping her hand again, I start up the mountain. "Don't fall behind, darling." I flash a grin back at her and start at a brisk pace.

Gwendolyn laughs softly and matches me, her strides as long as my own.

Gwendolyn and I climb to the top, where Barron is hiding; atop a mountain, overlooking a sparse valley.

I reach the top first, pulling myself up and helping Gwendolyn up with me.

I grunt as I pull her up to stand next to me and say, "You shouldn't've come. You'll only be a burden."

Gwendolyn smiles and says, "Well you said that to me when we first met, and not once have I been a burden."

So we trudge on, neither of us knowing the toils that lay ahead.

Gwendolyn points at a cave in the near distance and I turn to face it. I nod thinking, _Yes. That looks right._ Taking Gwendolyn's hand, I start off in that direction.

Coming to the mouth of the cavern, I try to tell Gwendolyn to stay out here. That it's not safe and I have to do this alone. She refuses, what a surprise, and I sigh, exasperated.  
>"Fine then. On your own head be it." I conclude the conversation and take Gwendolyn's hand again, leading us into the dark cavern.<p>

Once inside, I see that it is not indeed dark, but has small sconces positioned in intervals on the walls, holding small candles. I close my eyes, bracing myself for the worst, as Barron steps into the light of a candle.

My eyes snap open as he speaks for the third time I have heard him, "So, Dark Link, I see you have met me, and with a snack! Even better."

I tighten my grip on Gwendolyn's hand and say, "Yes I have met you, coward, and she is no one's snack, I can assure you.

"Oh?" Barron cocks an eyebrow. "She is not then, for me? Why is she here if not for that?"

Gwendolyn steps out from behind me and says, "I wouldn't come without him and I'm not leaving without him. He was going to leave me outside to wait."

_Oh Gwendolyn._ I think, mentally kicking myself for bringing her.

"Oh did he? Doesn't he know it's rude to leave a lady outside? There are so many dangers out there. But, then again, there are so many dangers in here!" he points to the ground at his feet and continues, "Such as me. Or this." Barron's eyes glint dangerously and he waves his hand, summoning a sword to it. He lunges, smile growing, and plunges the sword into Gwendolyn's stomach, so fast it doesn't give me time to react. Barron wrenches the sword out of her and she tumbles to the ground.

"NO!" I scream and sink to my knees in front of Gwendolyn. I scoop her up in my arms and she utters a small moan. "No." I say again, this time at a whisper, "You aren't allowed to die. I won't let you. Stay with me. You have to stay with me."

Gwendolyn opens her eyes and says weakly, "Go. Fight for me. I knew I shouldn't have come. But I just couldn't leave you by yourself." a single tear slides down her face, and I wipe it away with my thumb. Gently laying her down on the silt of the cavern's floor, I stand and face my opponent.

I draw my sword, black and singing for the blood of Barron.

All Barron says is "Let's dance." and so we start the duel.

We circle each other, and Barron makes the first move. He lunges to my right, and I parry him, forcing him to retreat. I then attack his left side, his weak side, and Barron manages to block. Barron is incredibly fast, and it takes all of my concentration to keep up with him, to not make a mistake. But, I do eventually. I am getting tired and I have slightly cut Barron in several places. Twice on his face, where he will keep the scars, and five to six on his torso and legs. His arms are too protected to get him there. Barron feigns to his right and I fall for it, feeling naïve, I suppose. Barron now lunges to my right, slicing across my chest, deeply cutting me. I have made my fatal mistake. Dropping to my knees, I say to Barron, "I yield. Kill me and make it swift."

"No." Barron sneers back, "I want you to make a decision. I know you have one single drink left in that flask of yours, one drink to save one life, and you can choose to give it to the girl, saving her and killing yourself, or you can take it yourself, killing her. Either way, you lose. One full drink will save one life, and any less will not be able to save either of you." With that, Barron leaves the cave.

Silent tears fall from my eyes as I crawl over to where Gwendolyn is, intending to give her the drink. The tears fall faster as she says, "No. I won't take it. I have no meaning to anyone except you, and you still have a mission."

"Screw the mission, screw your importance! I _can_ not, _will_ not live without you."

"You will be better-" she coughs, "off without me than I will be without you. I refuse to drink it."

"Well then we are at an impasse." I pause to catch my breath, and then continue, "For in a while, neither of us is going to be able to drink."

Gwendolyn closes her eyes and says, "Drink, Dark, please. I won't watch you die."

I lean forwards, kissing Gwendolyn's tears away before kissing her lips. She kisses me back, filled with sorrow and passion only a dying girl can have. "I will," I say softly, "But only for you. Only because it won't do to have both of us dead."

Tears fall down my cheeks in torrents as I unclasp the flask and uncap it. Bringing it to my lips, I swallow, feeling the magic run through me. Gwendolyn begins to fade, and I kiss her one last time, letting it be the last thing she experiences. "I will see you again, my love, my Gwen." I say as softly as the wind, saying her 'name', the one she said I could use, for the first time. Gwendolyn's last breath leaves her body in a gentle, "I love you." She closes her eyes, and dies smiling.

The tears come in torrents now, and I kiss her eyelids, whispering back, "I love you, too."

I draw myself into a ball and cry, letting myself feel my most vulnerable.

Later, I would ask myself why I became so attached to her. And I would reply that it was because I spent so much time with her, but, after I would think about it, my answer would be because she was my soul mate. That she was my real other half, the half I didn't think I could live without.

Right now, though, I can't live without her. But I know I must. The show must go on, as they say.

I do not cry loudly, such as crying out, but I weep softly, mourning in silence. This is but one time where I do not silently weep, but the sobs wrecking my chest are loud, for they will not stay soft, because of the person whom I am mourning. Gwen; I loved her too much, and yet not enough. For the woman I loved, is dead.


End file.
